1. You call or message
Tell us where you are, what happened and the make, model and registration. If anyone is hurt or the road is blocked, call 999 first.
24/7 · London & the M25
Accident Recovery London, 24 Hours a Day
Car hit, unsafe or undriveable? We recover it across London and the M25, 24 hours a day. Car recovery from £80, no call-out fee, and the price is agreed on the phone before we set off.
- No call-out fee
- Price agreed first
- Fully insured operators
- 24/7/365
24/7Recovery, day or night
From £80Car recovery and towing
£0Non-fault recovery cost
All LondonPostcodes plus the M25
Anyone hurt or the road blocked? Call 999 first. On a motorway follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps below and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe. Accident recovery is moving a damaged, unsafe or undriveable vehicle away from the scene of a crash. CityGrip Recovery does it 24 hours a day across every London postcode and the M25. Call or WhatsApp 07960 200253 and tell us where you are and the make, model and registration. We agree the price on the phone before we set off. Car recovery and towing starts at £80, with no call-out fee.
Why accident recovery is not a breakdown tow
A breakdown tow moves a car that has stopped working. Accident recovery moves a car that has been hit, and that is a different job to lift. After a collision the damage can include panels pressed against the tyres, deployed airbags, fuel, coolant or oil on the road, tyres shredded down to the rim, and steering or suspension knocked out of line so the front wheels no longer point where the steering wheel does. Rolling or towing a car in that condition on its own wheels can add to the repair and can drop debris back onto the carriageway.
That is why accident damage is normally carried rather than towed. A flatbed or tilt-and-slide takes the whole vehicle off the ground, so no wheel has to turn and nothing has to steer. A wheel lift is quicker but is the wrong tool if the driveline is damaged, wheels are seized or missing, or the structure is compromised. Winching a car out of a ditch or off a central reservation is its own problem, because the recovery points may be exactly what the impact destroyed. Our flatbed car towing and car recovery in London pages cover the rest of the service.
Not every incident needs a full recovery, so say on the phone what actually happened. If the car has been hit, car recovery and towing starts at £80, the figure is agreed with you before we move, and there is no call-out fee on top. For a flat tyre, a dead battery or an empty tank, the full range is on our page on what car recovery costs in London.
No upfront cost for non-fault drivers
Non-fault accident: who pays for the recovery?
If another driver was at fault, we can arrange your recovery at no upfront cost to you, and the claim is handled through our sister service, citygripclaims.co.uk. The cost of recovery and storage is claimed from the at-fault driver's insurer. Whether you get a replacement vehicle depends on the circumstances. If liability is disputed or the insurer does not pay, what you owe depends on the agreement you sign, so read it before you sign. CityGrip Recovery recovers vehicles; we are not an insurer or a law firm. Read more on our non-fault accident claim page, your rights after a non-fault accident, or the claim pages for north, south, east and west London.
The first few minutes after a crash on an ordinary road
This is for ordinary roads. On a motorway, follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps below instead. Put your hazard lights on straight away. If the car is drivable and it is safe to do so, move it off the road or to a place of relative safety before you swap details (Highway Code rules 275 and 276). Move uninjured people away from the vehicle, keep well clear of moving traffic, behind a barrier if there is one, and never stand between the vehicle and oncoming traffic. On an ordinary road, rule 276 puts a warning triangle at least 45 metres (147 feet) behind the vehicle, and never on a motorway. Only use one if it is safe, and skip it on a busy, fast or bendy road, where walking back is the greater risk.
Call 999 first if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked, giving your exact location and details of any casualties. Do not move an injured person from their vehicle unless they are in immediate danger, and do not remove a motorcyclist's helmet unless it is essential and you are trained to do so (rule 283). If something falls from a vehicle onto a motorway or other high-speed road, do not remove it yourself: stop in a place of relative safety and call 999 (rule 280). Take photographs or notes only once everyone is safe and away from moving traffic (the photos and paperwork section below has the detail), then call us on 07960 200253. If you did not give your details at the scene, you must report the collision to the police within 24 hours (rule 286).
Motorway, smart motorway and M25 accidents
Highway Code rule 277 says to leave the motorway at the next exit or pull into a service area if you can. If you cannot, move into the left lane (into an emergency area if you can reach one), stop as far to the left as possible and switch your hazard lights on. If it is safe and possible, leave by the side furthest from traffic and wait well away from the vehicle, behind the safety barrier where there is one. Only if you cannot get your vehicle to the left lane or a place of relative safety, and cannot get out safely and well away from the vehicle and moving traffic, stay in the vehicle with your seat belt and hazard lights on and call 999 immediately and ask for the police (or press your SOS button if your vehicle has one and ask for the police). Do not try repairs, do not place a warning triangle on the carriageway and do not go back to the vehicle once you have left it. Once you are safe, call us on 07960 200253.
Some motorways have no hard shoulder because every lane is a running lane (all lane running smart motorway). The M25 between Junctions 23 and 27 is one example, so never assume there is a hard shoulder you can use. If you reach an emergency area, use the free emergency telephone or call National Highways on 0300 123 5000, and do not pull out of the emergency area back onto the carriageway until National Highways tells you how. Driving in a lane closed by a Red X is an offence and can bring a fixed penalty of up to £100 and three points. We cover the M25 and the wider motorway network. For more, see what to do on the M25, smart motorways explained, M25 recovery and motorway recovery.
Reporting a collision to the police
Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, a driver in a collision that injures someone, damages another vehicle, harms a horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep, pig, goat or dog that was not in the driver's own vehicle, or damages roadside property must stop and, if asked by anyone with reasonable grounds, give their name and address, the owner's name and address and the vehicle's identification marks. If those details are not given at the scene, the driver must report the collision at a police station or to a constable as soon as reasonably practicable and within 24 hours. Where someone was injured and the driver cannot show an insurance certificate at the scene, it must be produced at the police station within seven days. Highway Code rules 286 and 287 repeat these duties.
Where your car can be taken, and who decides
If the police, a local authority or National Highways have directed removal, for example because the vehicle is causing an obstruction, the car goes where they send it. The statutory charges below are the police scale: if a council pound or National Highways has the car, ask them for the charges that apply, because they can differ. Ask the officer whether removal has been directed. If it has not, the choice of recovery firm and destination is yours. Ask for the address of any yard and do not agree to an unnamed one. Where you can, have the car taken straight to the repairer who will do the work, which keeps storage days down. We can take it to your home, your own garage or your repairer, and the price is agreed on the phone before we set off. If it cannot be driven on afterwards, see moving a non-running car.
If the police have already moved your car
If the police directed the removal, your car will be at a recovery operator's yard or a police pound, and the police force or the operator who moved it can tell you which. For a car up to 3.5 tonnes, the statutory removal charge since 6 April 2023 is £192 if it was on a road, upright and not substantially damaged; £320 if it was on a road but not upright or substantially damaged; £256 if it was off the road, upright and not substantially damaged; and £384 if it was off the road and either not upright or substantially damaged. Substantially damaged means a constable reasonably judges that it cannot be driven safely on the road. Statutory storage is £26 for each 24 hours or part of it, and the £96 disposal charge applies only if the vehicle is disposed of. For a two-wheeled vehicle, removal is £192 whatever its condition or position, storage is £13 and disposal, if it happens, is £64. These are the police figures: if a council or National Highways moved the car, ask them for their charges.
Storage charges build up for each 24 hours or part of it, so arrange release promptly. Ask the force or the pound which documents to bring, whether you need to book and who is allowed to collect the vehicle. If you want us to collect it for you, tell us when you call and we will agree the price first. The detail on pounds in London is on our police and council pound recovery page.
Electric vehicles, motorcycles, vans and laden loads
Tell us on the phone if the car is electric or hybrid, and whether the battery or its casing took a hit. Government guidance for recovery operators does not recommend towing electric vehicles on their wheels and recommends a flatbed, trailer or dolly wheels, and we carry the car on a flatbed. The same guidance says some vehicles have caught fire up to three weeks after an accident, and that damaged ones should ideally be kept in an outside quarantine area. That can limit where the car can be taken, which is why we need to know before we set off.
Motorcycles, mopeds and scooters need different handling from a car, so say on the phone if the vehicle has two wheels. See our motorcycle, scooter and moped recovery page. For a van, tell us whether it is carrying a load, and see van recovery in London.
If you drive a private hire vehicle or a van for a living, where the vehicle goes decides how many days you lose. A yard that is convenient for the recovery driver but far from a repairer who can see the vehicle this week costs you days off the road. Say on the phone that the vehicle earns, and we will agree the destination with you before we set off.
Photos and paperwork before the truck leaves
Only once everyone is safe and away from moving traffic, take photographs or notes, and never step into the road to get them. Photograph both vehicles where they ended up, from far enough back to show the lane markings, the junction and the road conditions. Then take close-ups of the damage, the other vehicle's registration, any debris and any skid marks. If your dashcam records on a loop, take the memory card out or save the clip, because it can be overwritten. Note the recovery operator's name and the recovery vehicle's registration, keep the collection note and every invoice, and check the storage start date on any storage note.
How an accident recovery works, step by step
From the first call to the car arriving where you want it.
2. We agree the price
We confirm the price, the equipment needed and where the car is going before we set off. Car recovery and towing starts at £80, with no call-out fee.
3. The car is loaded
A damaged car is normally carried on a flatbed rather than towed, so nothing has to roll or steer. Tell us about leaks, flat tyres and electric or hybrid systems so we bring the right equipment.
4. It goes where you choose
Home, your own garage or your repairer, unless the police, a local authority or National Highways have directed removal. Check the destination and price with us before we set off, and keep every invoice.
Questions to ask before you agree to a recovery or sign anything
Whoever is paying, four questions are worth asking before the car is loaded. What is the total price, and is it agreed before the truck sets off? What is the full address of the place the car is going to? Will storage be charged there, and from what date? Who is paying, you or an insurer?
If you are asked to sign an authority or claim form, read it first. The Financial Ombudsman Service warns, about credit hire and repair services after a non-fault accident, that there is no guarantee the other driver's insurer will cover the costs, and that you may be held responsible for them if the insurer disputes liability or the amount. So ask what happens if the claim fails, ask for a copy of what you sign, and never sign a form with blanks in it. Our page on your rights after a non-fault accident explains the claim side.
Related help after an accident
Claims, pounds, prices and recovery in your part of London.
Non-fault accident claimYour rights after a non-fault accidentAccident claim: North LondonAccident claim: South LondonAccident claim: East LondonAccident claim: West LondonPolice and council pound recoveryCar recovery in London24 hour vehicle recovery in LondonWhat car recovery costs in LondonCar recovery North LondonCar recovery South LondonCar recovery West LondonAll services
What to tell us when you call
Having these to hand keeps the call short and lets us confirm the price straight away.
- Where you are: a road name, the nearest junction or a landmark. If you are on a motorway or the North Circular, say which direction you are travelling and the nearest junction, marker post number or driver location sign.
- The vehicle: make, model and registration, whether it is petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric, and whether it is all-wheel drive or a van carrying a load.
- What has happened: that it was a collision, whether anyone is hurt, which lanes are blocked, whether the car is on its wheels and whether it rolls and steers, and whether anything is leaking.
- Where it needs to go: a garage, your home or another address.
- Your safety: if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked, call 999 first. On a motorway follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe. On an ordinary road (rules 275 and 276), keep well away from the vehicle and moving traffic, get the vehicle off the road if you can, and call us from there.
- If it is in a car park: the car park name, the level and the bay.
Need accident recovery in London?
The price is agreed on the phone before we set off.
Frequently asked questions
Is accident recovery available 24 hours a day?
Yes. CityGrip Recovery operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year, across all London postcodes, the M25 and the wider motorway network. Call or WhatsApp 07960 200253 at any hour, or read about our 24 hour vehicle recovery in London.
How much does accident recovery cost in London?
Car recovery and towing starts at £80, there is no call-out fee, and the exact price is agreed with you on the phone before we set off. For comparison, the statutory police charges for removing a car up to 3.5 tonnes, set by law since 6 April 2023, are £192 to £384 for removal depending on where the car is and its condition, plus £26 storage for each 24 hours or part, and £96 if the car is disposed of. See what car recovery costs in London.
What does accident recovery cost if the accident was not my fault?
Where another driver was at fault, we can arrange your recovery at no upfront cost to you, and the claim is handled through citygripclaims.co.uk. The cost of recovery and storage is claimed from the at-fault driver's insurer. A replacement vehicle depends on the circumstances. There is no guarantee the other insurer will pay, so if liability is disputed, what you owe depends on the agreement you sign. Read it first and ask what happens if the claim fails.
Can you take my car to my own garage or repairer?
Yes. Tell us where you want it taken when you call, and the price is agreed before we set off. The exception is where the police, a local authority or National Highways have directed removal: then the car goes where they send it. Otherwise the destination is yours, so ask for the address of any yard and do not agree to an unnamed one. Taking it straight to the repairer who will do the work keeps storage days down. See also moving a non-running car.
How do I get my car back from a police pound after an accident?
Contact the force or the recovering operator to find out which yard or pound holds it, and arrange release quickly, because statutory storage runs at £26 for each 24 hours or part for a car up to 3.5 tonnes, on top of a one-off removal charge of £192 to £384. Those are the police figures: if a council pound holds the car, ask the pound for its charges. Ask which documents to bring and whether you need to book before you travel. If you would rather we collect it, call 07960 200253 and we will agree the price first. More on police and council pound recovery.
Will recovery after an accident affect my no-claims discount?
Instructing a recovery firm is not itself an insurance claim, but how your insurer records an accident, including a non-fault one, is their decision under your policy terms. Ask your insurer or broker before you assume anything.
My car is undriveable after an accident but not written off, what happens?
It is carried on a flatbed to a secure place agreed on the call, usually your repairer, your own garage or your home. Whether it is then repaired or written off is decided between you and the insurer, not by us.
Can you recover an electric or hybrid vehicle?
Yes. We carry electric and hybrid cars on a flatbed rather than towing them on their wheels, which fits government guidance for recovery operators: it does not recommend towing electric vehicles on their wheels and recommends a flatbed, trailer or dolly wheels. Tell us when you call if the battery or its casing is damaged. Some electric vehicles have caught fire up to three weeks after an accident, so a damaged one may need to be kept away from other vehicles in a yard.
Can you recover a van or light commercial vehicle?
Yes. Tell us the make, model and registration and whether the van is carrying a load, and we agree the price on the phone before we set off. If the van is your livelihood, say so, because the destination decides how many days you lose, and a repairer who can see it quickly matters more than the nearest yard. See van recovery in London.
Do you recover motorcycles, mopeds and scooters?
Yes. Motorcycles, mopeds and scooters need different equipment from a car, so tell us what you ride and what condition it is in when you call. See motorcycle, scooter and moped recovery. If the police have already moved the bike, the statutory charges are £192 for removal whatever its condition, £13 for each 24 hours or part of storage and £64 if it is disposed of.
Do I have to report the accident to the police?
Yes, if you did not give your details at the scene. Under section 170 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 you must report a collision that injured someone, damaged another vehicle or roadside property, or harmed a dog, horse or other listed animal to the police as soon as reasonably practicable and within 24 hours. Where someone was injured and you could not show your insurance certificate at the scene, you must produce it at a police station within seven days. Failing to stop, give your details or report the collision is an offence: the maximum is an unlimited fine and/or six months in custody, and the court must endorse your licence and may disqualify you, otherwise imposing 5 to 10 penalty points.
How quickly can you get to me?
That depends on where you are, the time and the traffic, so we do not promise an arrival time. The only thing we commit to is agreeing the price on the phone before we set off. If you are on a motorway, follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe.
Do you charge a call-out fee?
No. There is no call-out fee. The price for the job is agreed with you on the phone before anyone sets off, so you know the figure before a truck moves. Car recovery and towing starts at £80, a jump start from £60, fuel delivery is £70 to £200, and mobile tyre fitting starts at £140 on ordinary roads and £250 to £750 on the motorway network.
Does my car insurance cover recovery after an accident?
It depends on your policy, so check your policy wording or call your insurer before you agree anything. If you want a price before you decide, tell us on the call and we will give you the figure before we set off. If another driver was at fault, the cost is normally claimed from their insurer, but there is no guarantee that insurer will pay, especially if liability is disputed.
What should I do first after a car accident in London?
On an ordinary road, put your hazard lights on and, if the car is drivable and it is safe, move it off the road or to a place of relative safety (rules 275 and 276). Keep well away from the vehicle and moving traffic, and never stand between it and oncoming traffic. Call 999 first if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked, and do not move an injured person unless they are in immediate danger. Give your details to anyone with reasonable grounds to ask; if you do not, report the collision to the police within 24 hours. Once everyone is safe and away from moving traffic, take photographs or notes, then call us on 07960 200253. On a motorway follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe.
Can you recover my car from the M25 or a motorway after a crash?
Yes, we cover the M25 and the wider motorway network. Some motorways, such as the M25 between Junctions 23 and 27, have no hard shoulder (all lane running), so do not assume you can stop on one. Highway Code rule 277 says to leave the motorway at the next exit or pull into a service area if you can. If you cannot, move into the left lane (into an emergency area if you can reach one), stop as far to the left as possible and switch your hazard lights on. If it is safe and possible, leave by the side furthest from traffic and wait well away from the vehicle, behind the safety barrier where there is one. Only if you cannot get your vehicle to the left lane or a place of relative safety, and cannot get out safely and well away from the vehicle and moving traffic, stay in the vehicle with your seat belt and hazard lights on and call 999 immediately and ask for the police (or press your SOS button if your vehicle has one and ask for the police). Do not try repairs, do not place a warning triangle on the carriageway and do not go back to the vehicle once you have left it. Once you are safe, call us on 07960 200253. If National Highways or the police are managing the scene, follow their instructions, as they may direct the removal of the car, and tell them who you have called.
What if my car is blocking the road after an accident?
On an ordinary road, move the car off the road if you can and it is safe to do so, and keep your hazard lights on if it is blocking traffic (Highway Code rule 276). Stay well away from the car and moving traffic, never stand between it and oncoming traffic, and call 999 first if anyone is hurt or the road is blocked. If it cannot be moved, the police or the council may direct its removal, in which case it goes where they send it and the pound will tell you the charges. On a motorway follow the Highway Code rule 277 steps and call 999 if you cannot reach safety and cannot get out safely, then call us once you are safe.
What do insurance write-off categories A, B, S and N mean?
Category A cannot be repaired and the whole vehicle must be crushed. Category B cannot be repaired, the shell must be crushed and other parts can be salvaged. Category S can be repaired after structural damage, and category N can be repaired after non-structural damage. Cars in S and N can be used again once they are made roadworthy. When a vehicle is written off, the insurer normally pays its market value just before the accident instead of the cost of repairing it.
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Updated November 2026. Lines open 24 hours. Call 07960 200253.
Vehicle damaged and going nowhere? Call 07960 200253
24 hours a day across every London postcode, the M25 and the wider motorway network. Price agreed on the phone before we set off and no call-out fee. Call or WhatsApp the same number, or use the contact page.