24 Hour Emergency Fuel Delivery on the M25
All 117 miles and 31 junctions of London's orbital, from the Dartford Crossing to the M40 and M4 interchanges, dispatched from our own yard close to the M25's eastern side.
- No call-out fee
- Price agreed first
- Petrol & diesel
- 24/7/365
CityGrip Recovery delivers emergency petrol or diesel anywhere on the M25, all 31 junctions from the Dartford Crossing to the M40 and M4 interchanges. Call 07960 200253 with your junction, direction of travel and vehicle details. Fuel delivery costs from £70 to £200, agreed on the phone before we set off, and that price includes enough fuel to get you moving again or to reach a filling station. Put the wrong fuel in? Do not start the engine. We drain the tank, flush the system and put the correct fuel in at the roadside. No call-out fee either way. Non-fault accident recovery costs the claimant nothing.
A ring road that was never quite big enough
The M25 was built in stages over eleven years, opening piece by piece from September 1975 until Margaret Thatcher ceremonially completed the final section on 29 October 1986. It runs 117 miles with 31 numbered junctions, and it was designed for a maximum of around 88,000 vehicles a day; by 1993 some stretches were already carrying up to 200,000, with the section between Junctions 14 and 15 near Heathrow recording over 219,000 vehicles a day on average.
That gap between what the road was built for and what it actually carries is the reason a fuel run on the M25 is rarely a quick job. Traffic density affects how safely and how quickly we can reach a stopped vehicle just as much as distance does.
Had a non-fault accident? Your recovery is free.
If another driver was at fault, CityGrip arranges free recovery, secure storage, a like-for-like courtesy car and full claims management, with every cost recovered from the at-fault driver’s insurer. You pay nothing, and your no-claims bonus stays intact.
Four service stations around a 117-mile ring
Clacket Lane, between Junctions 5 and 6, opened in July 1993 and is the only service station actually built into that stretch of the M25. South Mimms, next to Junction 23, opened in June 1987. Cobham, between Junctions 9 and 10, opened in September 2012, and Thurrock sits by Junction 31, close to the western approach to the Dartford Crossing.
Four services spread across 117 miles means genuinely long stretches with nowhere to refuel, particularly on the southern arc between Cobham and Clacket Lane. If your gauge is getting low anywhere along that stretch, treating it seriously rather than assuming the next junction will have a garage is the safer call.
The Dartford Crossing: plan your fuel before the tunnels
At the eastern end, the M25 doesn't cross the Thames on the motorway itself. The Dartford Crossing, twin tunnels westbound and the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge eastbound, is legally the A282, a separate trunk road with its own Dart Charge congestion charge operating 6am to 10pm. Running out of fuel inside a tunnel bore is a much more disruptive incident than on open motorway, with different emergency procedures.
If you're approaching the crossing and at all uncertain about your range, Thurrock services sit right by Junction 31 on the western side, and it's worth the small detour rather than risk running dry inside the tunnel or on the bridge approach itself.
Smart motorway sections and where it's safe to wait
Junctions 5 to 7 and Junctions 23 to 27 run as hard-shoulder-running smart motorway, meaning the hard shoulder becomes a live lane at busy times. On these sections, running out of fuel means finding an emergency refuge area rather than the verge you'd expect elsewhere on the ring.
If you can't reach a refuge area, get as far left as possible, hazards on, and if it's safe, get out via the passenger door and stand behind a barrier well clear of the carriageway. Call 999 if you're stuck in a live lane, then National Highways on 0300 123 5000 as well as us.
Where fuel runs low: the busy interchanges
Junction 15 (M4), Junction 16 (M40), Junction 21 (M1) and Junction 27 (M11) are where the M25 absorbs the most merging traffic, and they're also where a driver watching the fuel gauge instead of the road is most likely to get caught out. If you're approaching one of these interchanges low on fuel, it's usually safer to take the next exit and find fuel off-motorway than to keep circling toward a service station that might be miles further round the ring.
Tell us the junction and which motorway you were aiming to join when you call. It helps us judge the quickest way to reach you on a ring road, where 'five miles away' can mean two different directions.
Put the wrong fuel in? Don't start the engine
If you've put petrol in a diesel car or diesel in a petrol car, don't start the engine, or turn it off immediately if it's running. Running the wrong fuel through the system turns a simple drain into a much larger repair bill.
We come to you anywhere on the M25 with the equipment to drain the tank at the roadside, flush the lines and put the correct fuel in, checking the vehicle runs properly before we leave. The price depends on the vehicle, the tank size and whether the engine was started.
One number, honest about where we're based
Our yard is at 68 Ruckholt Road in Leyton, East London, a short run to the M25's eastern side via the M11 or the A12 and A406. That's genuinely close for the Dartford Crossing and Junctions 27 to 31. For the western and southern stretches near Heathrow, the M3, M4 and M40, we still dispatch and still agree a price before anyone sets off, we just won't pretend it's the same short hop.
Fuel delivery on the M25 costs from £70 to £200, agreed on the phone before we set off, and includes enough fuel to get you moving or to the next service station.
Non-fault accidents on the M25
With traffic this dense, a non-fault collision on the M25 is unfortunately common. If the accident wasn't your fault, recovery, secure storage, a courtesy car and the claim itself are handled through citygripclaims.co.uk at no cost to you.
Call 07960 200253 as soon as you and any passengers are safe, and we'll talk you through what happens next.
M25 fuel delivery FAQs
Do you cover all 31 junctions of the M25?
Yes, the full orbital from the Dartford Crossing to the M40 and M4 interchanges. We're closest to the eastern side but dispatch to every junction.
How much does emergency fuel delivery cost on the M25?
From £70 to £200 depending on the fuel needed and your location, agreed on the phone before we set off. No call-out fee.
Which service stations are on the M25?
Clacket Lane (J5-6), South Mimms (J23), Cobham (J9-10) and Thurrock (J31, near the Dartford Crossing).
I've run out of fuel inside the Dartford Crossing tunnel. What do I do?
Follow the tunnel's own emergency signage and staff instructions, since a stopped vehicle in a bore is managed differently from open motorway. Call us as soon as you're clear.
I put petrol in my diesel car (or diesel in petrol). What do I do?
Do not start the engine, or turn it off immediately if it's running. Call us and we'll drain the tank, flush the system and put the correct fuel in.
What are the smart motorway sections on the M25?
Junctions 5-7 and 23-27 run hard-shoulder-running. Use an emergency refuge area on these sections rather than expecting a permanent hard shoulder.
Can you help electric vehicles that run out of charge on the M25?
We can't carry a fast charge, so we recover your EV to the nearest working charge point rather than leaving you stranded.
Do you deliver both petrol and diesel?
Yes, both, along with wrong-fuel drain and flush if you've put the wrong one in.
How quickly can you reach me on the M25?
It depends on your junction, direction and traffic, but we'll give a realistic estimate on the call before you decide anything.
Is it safe to wait on the M25 hard shoulder?
Get as far left as possible, hazards on, and if it's safe, wait behind a barrier rather than in the vehicle. Note your junction number and direction for us.
Do you cover breakdowns at night or on a bank holiday?
Yes, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, at every M25 junction.
Can you also recover my vehicle, not just deliver fuel?
Yes, if topping up doesn't solve it or the car won't restart, we can recover it in the same call.
Is accident recovery on the M25 really free if it wasn't my fault?
Yes, recovery, storage, a courtesy car and the claims process are handled through citygripclaims.co.uk at no cost to you.
Can I get a receipt for expenses or an insurance claim?
Yes, we provide a receipt for any fuel delivery or drain and flush job.
How do I pay?
Card or bank transfer on completion. The price is agreed on the phone before we set off.
Why does fuel delivery on the M25 sometimes take longer than expected?
Traffic density is the main factor: the M25 regularly carries far more vehicles than it was designed for, which affects how quickly any vehicle, including ours, can reach a stopped car safely.
Are you actually based near the M25, or is this a national call centre?
We're a real yard at 68 Ruckholt Road, Leyton, close to the M25's eastern junctions via the M11 and A12/A406. We dispatch to the rest of the orbital honestly, without pretending every junction is on our doorstep.
Updated September 2026. Lines open 24 hours. Call 07960 200253.
Out of fuel on the M25? All junctions, one number.
Dartford Crossing to the M40 and M4 interchanges. Call 07960 200253, tell us your junction and direction, and we'll agree a price before anyone sets off.