How we can help in Bristol
Vehicle recovery in Bristol
The Almondsbury Interchange joins the M4 at Junction 20 to the M5 at Junction 15. From there to Junction 19 on the M4, where the M32 begins, and to Junction 17 on the M5 at Cribbs Causeway, the motorway is a smart motorway where the hard shoulder is opened as a running lane at busy times. When it's open to traffic it isn't a safe place to stop. Aim for an emergency area, and if you're stuck in a live lane, stay belted in with your hazards on and call 999.
Further west, the M5 crosses the Avon on the Avonmouth Bridge between Junctions 18 and 19, a known bottleneck, and the A4 Portway runs from Junction 18 up the gorge into the city. The M32 carries traffic from the M4 down to St Pauls, and its last stretch, the A4032 Newfoundland Way, leads to Cabot Circus and its multi-storey. Southmead Hospital and The Mall at Cribbs Causeway are both near Junction 17. The Mall has thousands of parking spaces, so tell us which car park and which entrance you're nearest.
Bristol's Clean Air Zone has run since 28 November 2022 and covers a small central area. Older petrol and diesel cars that don't meet the standard pay £9 a day to drive in it. If a repaired older car is going to a garage inside the zone, check it on the government vehicle checker before you plan to drive it home, or ask us to take it to a garage outside the zone instead.
One more local quirk: the Clifton Suspension Bridge has a 4-tonne weight limit, with weighbridges that lock the toll barriers on heavy vehicles. A loaded recovery truck is well over that, so a collection from Leigh Woods or Abbots Leigh comes the long way round by road.
Roads & areas we cover around Bristol
Why Bristol drivers choose BlueLine
Recovering something other than a car
Different vehicles need different trucks and different handling. These explain how each one is done.
Bristol recovery & roadside FAQs
I have stopped on the M5 between Almondsbury and Cribbs Causeway. Is the hard shoulder safe?
Only when it's closed to traffic. On this smart motorway stretch the hard shoulder opens as a running lane at busy times, and the overhead signs show when it's in use. If you can, get to an emergency area or off at the next junction. If you're stuck in a live lane and can't get out safely, keep your seat belt on, put your hazards on and call 999. Once you're safe, call or WhatsApp 07944 820302 and we'll arrange the recovery.
Can you collect a car from Leigh Woods or Abbots Leigh?
Yes, but not over the Clifton Suspension Bridge. It has a 4-tonne limit and a loaded recovery truck is far heavier, so the truck comes round by road. Give us the exact address or a map pin, since some of the lanes there are narrow.
Does Bristol's Clean Air Zone affect where my car should be taken?
It can. The zone charges non-compliant cars £9 a day to drive in the central area. If your car is an older diesel or petrol and your usual garage is inside the zone, check the car on the government vehicle checker first, or choose a garage outside the zone so you're not charged when you drive it away.
Can you move my car from Bristol to a dealer in Bath or Gloucester?
Yes. Tell us the destination when you call and the price we give you before dispatch covers the whole run, not just the collection.
Can you change a flat tyre on the M32?
Not at the roadside. The M32 is a motorway, and we don't change wheels beside motorway traffic. Leave at the next junction if the tyre lets you, or stop as far left as you can and get out on the verge side, behind a barrier if there is one. If you're stuck in a live lane and can't get out, call 999 first. The car can then go on the truck to a tyre fitter or a garage you choose.
My car won't start in a car park at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway. What do you need from me?
Which car park, the nearest entrance or store, and the level if it's covered. Give us the make and model, and say whether it's a hybrid or electric. Often a jump start gets it going; if the battery has had it, a replacement can be fitted in the bay so the car doesn't need to leave on a truck.