24 Hour Car Recovery on the M1 Motorway with Guaranteed Attendance
We cover the whole M1, from Staples Corner (J1) to Hook Moor (J48), for cars, vans and 4x4s. Attendance is guaranteed on every job we confirm, and the price is agreed with you before we set off.
- No separate call-out fee
- Price agreed first
- Guaranteed attendance on confirmed jobs
- 24/7/365
If you cannot reach a place of safety and also cannot get out of your vehicle safely, stay in it with your seat belt and hazard lights on and call 999 first.
Send your details on WhatsApp once you are safe
Get to safety first and do not go back to the vehicle to check anything. Answer only from what you already know. If you cannot reach safety and also cannot get out safely, call 999 instead.
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CityGrip provides 24/7 car recovery on the M1 motorway, covering the whole road from J1 at Staples Corner to J48 at Hook Moor. We recover cars, vans and 4x4s, and the price is agreed with you before we set off, with no separate call-out fee. Once we have confirmed your job, we guarantee attendance; where the police or National Highways are managing the scene, we attend as soon as they allow access. Call or WhatsApp 07960 200253, open 24 hours.
Our attendance guarantee
Once we have confirmed your job with you and agreed the price, we guarantee to attend. We cannot give an arrival time, because it depends on where you are and, where the police or National Highways are managing the scene, on when they allow access. The price is agreed before we set off, with no separate call-out fee.
Rated 5.0 from 153 Google reviews (October 2026). CityGrip Recovery, 68 Ruckholt Road, Leyton, London E10 5NP, open 24 hours. About CityGrip Recovery.
Car recovery near the M1 motorway: how it works
If you are on the M1, get to safety first, then call us on 07960 200253 or message us on WhatsApp. Have the junction you are at or the last one you passed, the direction you are travelling in, your registration and the make and model of the vehicle ready when you call.
We then confirm the job and agree the price with you before we set off, and there is no separate call-out fee. Once the job is confirmed and the price agreed, we guarantee to attend.
The M1 is a long road, so the junction and direction you give us tell us which stretch and which carriageway the job is on.
Broken down on the M1? Get to safety first
If your vehicle breaks down, your safety comes before the car. The Highway Code (rule 277) says to leave the motorway at the next exit or pull into a service area if possible, and National Highways says not to stop in a live lane unless absolutely necessary. If you cannot leave the carriageway at the next exit or pull into a service area, follow the three steps below. A hard shoulder gives less protection than other places of relative safety (rule 275).
Step 1, go left. Move into the left lane. Pull into an emergency area or onto a hard shoulder if you can, and stop as far to the left as possible, leaving space to exit your vehicle, with your wheels turned to the left and your hazard lights on (use sidelights too if it is dark or visibility is poor). If you can, stop just beyond an emergency telephone.
Step 2, get safe. If it is safe and possible, exit the vehicle by the side furthest from traffic and make sure passengers do the same. Wait well away from the vehicle and moving traffic, behind the safety barrier where there is one, aware of unseen hazards such as sudden drops, uneven ground or debris. Do not stand where your vehicle could be forced into you. Do not return to the vehicle, even if it is raining, cold or dark, and do not attempt repairs or put a warning triangle on the carriageway.
Step 3, get help. Use the free emergency telephone and face the traffic while you speak. If you have not stopped near one, or you cannot get out of the vehicle, call 999 immediately and ask for the police, or press your vehicle's SOS button if it has one and ask for the police. Tell them if you are a vulnerable motorist, such as disabled, older or travelling alone. In an emergency area you must use the emergency telephone and follow the operator's advice before you leave (rule 278), because a lane may need to be closed so you can rejoin.
If you cannot reach a place of relative safety and cannot get out safely, stay in the vehicle with your seat belt and hazard lights on, and call 999 and ask for the police (or press your SOS button if your vehicle has one). Rule 279 gives the same advice if you have a disability that stops you following these steps. If you are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired, register for the 999 text service before you travel. If you cannot use an emergency roadside telephone because of a speech or hearing impairment, National Highways takes texts for roadside assistance on 0738 028 3600.
Call us once you are somewhere safe: behind the safety barrier, well away from your vehicle and moving traffic, after you have spoken to National Highways or 999, or in a service area or off the motorway. Tell us your direction of travel, the last junction you passed, and the registration, make and model. Quote a marker post or driver location sign only if you can read it from where you are safely waiting. Do not go back to the vehicle to find details. National Highways says recovery operators are never expected to work in a live lane, so where the police or National Highways are managing the scene there can be a wait for them to make it safe.
Car recovery on the M1, junction by junction
J1 to J6a: Staples Corner to the M25
The M1 starts at J1, Staples Corner, in Greater London, where two linked roundabouts and flyovers connect it to the A406 North Circular Road, signed east and west, and the A5 Edgware Road. J2, Five Ways Corner, joins the A1, with the A406 North Circular Road (east) and The City signed. It is an incomplete junction: traffic can leave southbound and join northbound, but cannot leave northbound or join southbound. There is no junction 3. It was planned as a spur to the A1 but never built, so the numbers go from J2 to J4. London Gateway services sit between J2 and J4, on the west side of the road.
J4, Brockley Interchange, is the A41 for Edgware and Harrow and, like J2, has only a southbound exit and a northbound entrance. J5, Berrygrove Interchange, is a roundabout junction with full access to the A41 and the A4008, signed for Watford and Aylesbury; it sits on the Bushey and Radlett boundary and is the first junction in Hertfordshire. J6, Waterdale Interchange, also has full access: the A405 serves North Watford, and northbound drivers heading for the M25 or St Albans leave here. Because J2 and J4 are incomplete junctions, your direction of travel matters as much as the junction number.
J6a, Chiswell Interchange, is the M1 end of M25 junction 21. It is incomplete: southbound traffic can leave for the M25, signed for Stansted and the M11, Dartford and the M20, and Heathrow with the M40, M4 and M3, and M25 traffic can join northbound. Northbound M1 traffic cannot leave here and uses J6 and the A405 instead. Tell us whether you are northbound or southbound, as well as the last junction you passed.
J7 to J13: St Albans to Milton Keynes
J7, Beechtrees Interchange, is the A414 for St Albans and Hatfield, with a southbound exit and a northbound entrance only. The road running south-east from this junction was the M10 spur until it was reclassified as part of the A414 on 1 May 2009. J8, Breakspears Interchange, is a trumpet junction on the A414 for Hemel Hempstead with full access, and collector-distributor lanes run between J7 and J8. J9, Friars Wash Interchange, is the A5183, signed for Redbourn on the northbound side and for the north of St Albans on the southbound side. J7 to J9 are in Hertfordshire.
J10, Pepperstock Junction, is a roundabout junction on the A1081 for Luton and Luton Airport. J11, Leagrave Interchange, is the A505 for Luton and Dunstable. J11a, Chalton Interchange, is a dumbbell junction with the A5 for Aylesbury and the A5505 for Houghton Regis and Dunstable, which opened with the A5-M1 link road on 11 May 2017. Toddington services sit between J11a and J12. J10 to J13 are in Bedfordshire.
J12, Toddington Interchange, is on the A5120, signed for Flitwick, Woburn and Houghton Regis. J13, Ridgmont Interchange, is a dumbbell junction: the A421 leads to Milton Keynes (south) and Bedford, and the A507 to Ampthill and Woburn. J13 is where the dynamic hard shoulder section from J10 ends and all lane running begins. That continues through J16 and J19, so there is no hard shoulder anywhere between J13 and J19.
J14 to J19: Newport Pagnell to Catthorpe
J14, Broughton Interchange, is a roundabout junction on the A509 for Milton Keynes and Newport Pagnell, and the first junction in Buckinghamshire. Newport Pagnell services lie between J14 and J15. J15, Collingtree Interchange, is in Northamptonshire and joins the A45 and A508 for Northampton. J15a, Rothersthorpe Interchange, is on the A43 for Northampton and, through the M40, Oxford. Northampton services are at this junction and can be reached from either carriageway.
J16, Kislingbury Interchange, is a roundabout junction with the A45 for Daventry and the A4500 for the west of Northampton. Watford Gap services lie between J16 and J17. J17, Kilsby Interchange, is the M45 for Coventry and Rugby; it is incomplete, with a northbound exit and a southbound entrance only, so southbound traffic cannot leave for the M45 here. J18, Crick Interchange, is a roundabout junction on the A428, signed for Rugby, for Hinckley via the A5, for Daventry and for the rail freight terminal.
J19, Catthorpe Interchange, in Leicestershire, is where the M1 meets the M6 and the A14. The M6 leaves from the northbound side for the North West, Birmingham and Coventry, and the A14 from the southbound side for Felixstowe and Kettering; there is no access to the M6 from the southbound exit or to the A14 from the northbound exit. It is a three-level interchange, rebuilt between 2014 and 2016 and officially opened in March 2017. For a call from here, the carriageway matters as much as the junction.
J20 to J25: Lutterworth to Sandiacre
J20, Misterton Interchange, is a roundabout junction on the A4303 for Lutterworth, with the A4304 for Market Harborough and the A426 for Rugby. J21, Whetstone Interchange, is where the M69 leaves for Coventry and, by the M6, Birmingham; the A5460 there leads to Leicester. Leicester Forest East services lie between J21 and J21a. J21a, Kirby Muxloe Interchange, is the A46 for Leicester and Newark, with a northbound exit and a southbound entrance only.
J22, Markfield Interchange, joins the A50 for Leicester and the A511 for Coalville and Ashby. J23, Shepshed Interchange, is the A512 for Loughborough and Shepshed. J23a, South Kegworth Interchange, is a non-standard junction: the southbound exit leads to the A42 for the M42 and Birmingham, the northbound exit to the A453 for East Midlands Airport, and there is no access to the A42 from the northbound exit or to the A453 from the southbound exit. Donington Park services are reached from J23a when travelling north and from J24 when travelling south.
J24, Kegworth Interchange, is a roundabout junction on the A453 for Nottingham (south) and East Midlands Airport, with the A50 for Derby and Stoke and Loughborough signed by the A6. J24a, Warren Lane Interchange, is the A50 for Derby and Stoke, and is an exit for southbound traffic only; northbound traffic uses J24. J25, Sandiacre Interchange, is a three-level roundabout on the A52 for Nottingham and Derby, with Ilkeston also signed, and is in Derbyshire.
J26 to J35a: Nottingham to Sheffield
J26, at Nuthall, is a roundabout junction on the A610 for Nottingham, Ripley and Ilkeston, and the first junction in Nottinghamshire; Trowell services lie between J25 and J26. J27, Friezeland Interchange, is the A608 for Mansfield, Heanor and Hucknall. J28, Pinxton Interchange, is back in Derbyshire and takes the A38 for Derby and Mansfield and, by the A615, Matlock. J29, Heath Interchange, is the A617 for Chesterfield and Mansfield, with the A632 for Matlock. Tibshelf services sit between J28 and J29.
J29a, Duckmanton Interchange, is a dumbbell junction on the A6192 for Markham Vale and the A632 for Bolsover. J30, Barlborough Interchange, is the last junction in Derbyshire: the A6135 serves the south of Sheffield, the A619 Chesterfield and Worksop, and the A616 Newark. Woodall services lie between J30 and J31. J31, Aston Interchange, is the A57 for Worksop, Sheffield and Rotherham, and the first junction in South Yorkshire. J32, Thurcroft Interchange, is where the M18 leaves for Doncaster, Hull and the North.
J33, Catcliffe Interchange, is a roundabout junction on the A630 for central Sheffield and Rotherham, and Rotherham services are at this junction. J34, which has Meadowhall and Tinsley interchanges, is signed for Sheffield and Rotherham by way of the A6109, A6178 and A631. J35, Thorpe Hesley Interchange, is the A629 for Rotherham. J35a, Tankersley Interchange, is the A616 for Manchester, with a northbound exit and a southbound entrance only. J32 to J35a is all lane running, so there is no hard shoulder through J33, J34 and J35.
J36 to J48: Barnsley to Hook Moor
J36, Birdwell Interchange, is the A61 for Barnsley and Sheffield. J37, Dodworth Interchange, is the A628 for Barnsley and Manchester. J38, Haigh Interchange, is the A637 for Huddersfield, and Woolley Edge services lie between J38 and J39. J39, Durkar Interchange, is the first junction in West Yorkshire: the A636 leads to Wakefield and Denby Dale, and the all lane running section to J42 begins here. J40, Flushdyke Interchange, is the A638 for Wakefield, Dewsbury and Batley.
J41, Carrgate Interchange, is the A650 for Wakefield and Morley. J42, Lofthouse Interchange, is where the M1 meets the M62, which is junction 29 on the M62: westbound it leads to Manchester and Bradford, eastbound to Hull and Pontefract. It is a three-level junction with a roundabout above both motorways, and it is where the all lane running section ends. J43, Belle Isle Interchange, is the M621 into central Leeds, with a northbound exit and a southbound entrance only. J44, Rothwell Interchange, is a dumbbell junction on the A639 for the south of Leeds.
J45, Newsam Green Interchange, is the A63 for Leeds city centre, with Skelton Lake services south of the junction, the last services on the M1. J46, Austhorpe Interchange, joins the A6120 for east Leeds and the A63 for Selby. J47, Parlington Interchange, is the A642 for Garforth and the A656 for Castleford. The M1 ends at J48, Hook Moor Interchange, near Aberford in West Yorkshire, where it meets the A1(M) for Wetherby and the North.
Smart motorway sections of the M1: where there is no hard shoulder
National Highways publishes a map of operational and planned smart motorways. The version dated 21 January 2025 shows every M1 scheme as operational. On it, J1 to J6a is not marked. J6a to J10 is a controlled motorway. J10 to J13 is a dynamic hard shoulder section. J13 to J16 and J16 to J19 are all lane running, which makes J13 to J19 one continuous stretch with no hard shoulder. J19 to J23a is not marked. J23a to J24 is a controlled motorway.
Further north, J24 to J25 is all lane running, J25 to J28 is a controlled motorway and J28 to J31 is all lane running. J31 to J32 is a controlled motorway, and J32 to J35a is all lane running. J35a to J39 is not marked. J39 to J42 is all lane running, and J42 to J48 is not marked. So the stretches with no permanent hard shoulder are J13 to J19, J24 to J25, J28 to J31, J32 to J35a and J39 to J42.
A controlled motorway keeps its hard shoulder and adds variable speed limits and overhead signs. A dynamic hard shoulder section uses the hard shoulder as a running lane at busy times, and National Highways says plans to convert the M1 J10 to J13 section to all lane running have been cancelled. All lane running permanently turns the hard shoulder into a running lane and has emergency areas instead. Layouts, speed limits and roadworks change, so go by the signs and signals where you are, and follow the safety box on this page.
Service areas on the M1, in order from London
There are 13 motorway service areas on the M1. From the south they are London Gateway (between J2 and J4), Toddington (between J11a and J12), Newport Pagnell (between J14 and J15), Northampton (at J15a), Watford Gap (between J16 and J17), Leicester Forest East (between J21 and J21a), Donington Park (reached from J23a and J24), Trowell (between J25 and J26), Tibshelf (between J28 and J29), Woodall (between J30 and J31), Rotherham (at J33), Woolley Edge (between J38 and J39) and Leeds Skelton Lake (at J45). A lorry park at J29 is not counted here.
Use this list to plan a journey, or to tell us where you are when you ring.
The M1 at a glance: length, junctions and interchanges
The M1 runs for about 193 miles between J1 and J48, and only the M6 is longer. There is no J3 because it was never built, and eight junctions carry a letter: J6a, J11a, J15a, J21a, J23a, J24a, J29a and J35a. The first section, J5 to J18, opened on 2 November 1959, the southern end reached Staples Corner in the 1970s and the northern end reached the A1(M) at Hook Moor in 1999. Until then the M1 ran into Leeds along what is now the M621.
Other motorways join it at J6a (the M25), J17 (the M45), J19 (the M6, with the A14), J21 (the M69), J32 (the M18), J42 (the M62) and J43 (the M621). Lofthouse Interchange at J42 was built between 1965 and 1967 as a three-level junction with eight bridges, and the M62 crosses above the M1 there. Staples Corner was laid out for a 1960s plan to carry the motorway on to West Hampstead, a plan that was never carried out.
How our M1 car recovery works
Ring or WhatsApp 07960 200253 at any hour. We cover the whole M1, J1 to J48, for cars, vans and 4x4s. Tell us the junction, your direction of travel, the registration, the make and model and what has happened, and we agree the price with you before we set off, with no separate call-out fee.
Once we have confirmed the job with you and agreed the price, we guarantee to attend; where the police or National Highways are managing the scene, we attend as soon as they allow access. We can supply and fit a replacement tyre, deal with locking wheel nuts and seized wheels, or arrange recovery. We are based in Leyton, East London, and are rated 5.0 from 153 Google reviews.
Had a non-fault accident? Your recovery is free.
If another driver was at fault, we arrange your recovery free of charge through our sister claims service, CityGrip Claims. Start a claim there to see how your accident is handled.
M1 car recovery FAQs
Do you cover the whole M1?
Yes. We cover the whole M1 from J1 at Staples Corner to J48 at Hook Moor, for cars, vans and 4x4s. Ring or WhatsApp 07960 200253 at any hour and give us the junction and your direction of travel. We confirm the job and agree the price with you before we set off.
What does guaranteed attendance mean?
Once we have confirmed your job with you and agreed the price, we guarantee to attend. Where the police or National Highways are managing the scene, we attend as soon as they allow access. Follow the safety box on this page first.
What should I tell you when I ring?
Give us the junction you are at or the last one you passed, and whether you are heading northbound or southbound, because several M1 junctions only work in one direction. Then your registration, the make and model, and what has happened. With that we can confirm the job, agree the price with you and arrange to attend.
How is the price set?
We agree the price with you before we set off, and there is no separate call-out fee. This page does not list prices, because the price is agreed for your particular job. Give us the junction, your direction of travel and the vehicle details when you ring, and the price is settled with you before we set off.
Is there car recovery near the M1 motorway?
We provide car recovery on the M1 motorway, from J1 to J48. We are based in Leyton, East London. Give us the junction and your direction of travel when you ring, and we will confirm the job and agree the price with you before we set off.
Where does the M1 start and end?
The M1 starts at J1, Staples Corner, north-west of central London, where it meets the A406 North Circular Road and the A5. It ends at J48, Hook Moor, near Aberford in West Yorkshire, where it meets the A1(M), which carries on towards Newcastle. Between them it is about 193 miles.
Which M1 junctions serve Leeds and Sheffield?
For Leeds: J43 is the M621 into the city centre, J44 the A639 for south Leeds, J45 the A63 for the city centre and J46 the A6120 for east Leeds. For Sheffield: J30 (A6135) serves the south, J33 (A630) the centre, J34 Meadowhall and J36 (A61) the north. Give us the junction number and direction rather than the city name.
Which M1 junctions serve Nottingham, Leicester, Milton Keynes and Luton?
Nottingham: J24 (A453, south), J25 (A52) and J26 (A610). Leicester: J21 (A5460), J21a (A46) and J22 (A50). Milton Keynes: J13 (A421, south) and J14 (A509). Luton: J10 (A1081, also for Luton Airport) and J11 (A505, also for Dunstable). Always give us the junction number and your direction, not just a town name.
Which parts of the M1 have no hard shoulder?
On the National Highways map (updated January 2025), the all lane running stretches with no permanent hard shoulder are J13 to J19, J24 to J25, J28 to J31, J32 to J35a and J39 to J42. J10 to J13 is a dynamic hard shoulder section, where the hard shoulder is used as a lane at busy times. Layouts and roadworks change.
Which service areas are on the M1?
There are 13, in this order from London: London Gateway (J2 to J4), Toddington (J11a to J12), Newport Pagnell (J14 to J15), Northampton (J15a), Watford Gap (J16 to J17), Leicester Forest East (J21 to J21a), Donington Park (J23a and J24), Trowell (J25 to J26), Tibshelf (J28 to J29), Woodall (J30 to J31), Rotherham (J33), Woolley Edge (J38 to J39) and Leeds Skelton Lake (J45).
What is J6a, the M25 interchange?
J6a is where the M1 meets M25 junction 21. It has a southbound exit and a northbound entrance only: southbound traffic can leave for the M25, and M25 traffic can join northbound. Northbound drivers heading for the M25 leave at J6 and follow the A405. J6a is also the start of the controlled motorway that runs to J10.
Can you recover vans and 4x4s on the M1?
Yes. We recover cars, vans and 4x4s anywhere on the M1 from J1 to J48. When you ring, tell us the make and model and which type of vehicle it is, so we can confirm the job and agree the price with you before we set off. The same guarantee of attendance applies once we have confirmed the job with you.
Can you help with locking wheel nuts and flat tyres?
Yes. We can supply and fit a replacement tyre, deal with locking wheel nuts and seized wheels, or arrange recovery if the vehicle needs to be taken away. When you ring, tell us the junction and direction, and whether you have the locking wheel nut key with you, and we will agree the price before we set off.
Is there a junction 3 on the M1?
No. A junction 3 was planned as a spur to the A1 at Stirling Corner but never built, so the numbers go from J2 to J4. London Gateway services sit where it would have been and use the approaches that were built for it. Eight junctions carry a letter: J6a, J11a, J15a, J21a, J23a, J24a, J29a and J35a.
Which M1 junctions serve the airports?
Luton Airport is linked to J10 by the A1081. East Midlands Airport is signed from J23a and J24 on the A453. Heathrow and Stansted are not on the M1 itself: J6a leads to the M25, signed for Stansted and the M11 and for Heathrow with the M40, M4 and M3. Tell us the junction and direction you are at when you ring.
Are you open at night on the M1?
We are open 24 hours a day, so you can ring or WhatsApp 07960 200253 at any hour. Whatever the time, the price is agreed with you before we set off, there is no separate call-out fee, and once we have confirmed the job with you we guarantee to attend.
Where the road details come from
Road details on this page were checked against these sources in October 2026.
Updated 18 October 2026. Written and maintained by CityGrip Recovery, Leyton. Lines open 24 hours. Once you are somewhere safe, call 07960 200253 for car recovery on the M1.
Broken down on the M1? Get to safety first, then call us.
From J1 Staples Corner to J48 Hook Moor. Call 07960 200253, tell us your direction and the last junction you passed, and we agree the price before anyone sets off.