HGV roadside assistance in the UK: how it works, who to call and what it costs

A heavy goods vehicle breakdown is not a car breakdown with bigger wheels. The vehicle may weigh 44 tonnes, carry a customer's load, run a 24-volt electrical system, depend on compressed air to release its brakes and be driven by someone whose working day is governed by tachograph rules. Roadside assistance for HGVs is therefore a specialist trade, and knowing who to call before the day you need it makes a measurable difference to downtime and cost.

What does HGV roadside assistance actually include?

Roadside assistance means a competent technician attends the vehicle where it has stopped, diagnoses the fault and either repairs it there, carries out a safe temporary repair to get the vehicle to a workshop, or confirms that recovery is needed. For HGVs the attending vehicle is usually a service van equipped for 24-volt starting, air-system repairs, common electrical faults, fuel and AdBlue problems, and often tyres. Heavy recovery, load transfer and workshop repairs are separate services with separate pricing.

A good provider will tell you within the first phone call which of those outcomes is likely, what they need from you, an estimated arrival window and the basis on which they charge.

Who provides HGV roadside assistance in the UK?

There are four routes, and most fleets use more than one.

1. Independent mobile mechanics and commercial workshops

Independent HGV mechanics, tyre fitters and recovery operators cover most of the UK road network and are often closest to the vehicle. Many run 24-hour call-out services. Their advantage is speed and direct contact: you speak to the person who will attend, agree the price with them and pay them. Their limitation is that you need to know they exist and that they cover the area, which is the problem HGV247 exists to solve. Every listing on HGV247 shows the provider's published capabilities, coverage radius, mobile or workshop response, 24-hour availability and verification state, so you can call the right business first.

2. Manufacturer assistance schemes

Every major truck manufacturer runs a 24-hour assistance service for its vehicles, staffed by control centres that dispatch the nearest franchised dealer. Save the number for your fleet's makes:

Scheme	UK contact	Notes
Volvo Action Service	0800 92 92 92	Europe-wide, coordinated through Volvo's Uptime Centre
Scania Assistance	0800 800 660 (+44 1274 301260 from abroad)	Have chassis number, registration and location ready
DAF ITS (DAFaid)	0800 919395 (+31 40 214 3000 in Europe)	Payment guarantee for repairs abroad
MAN Mobile24	00800 66245324	Location and status tracking by text link
Mercedes-Benz Service24h	00800 5777 7777 (+44 20 7660 9992)	Mercedes reports that most call-outs are fixed at the roadside
IVECO Assistance Non-Stop	0800 590509	Location can be sent from telematics or the app
Renault Trucks 24/7	0800 626541	Online case tracking with a ten-digit file number

These schemes are strongest for warranty, repair-and-maintenance contract vehicles and complex electronic faults, because the dealer has the manufacturer diagnostic tools and parts. They are not always the fastest option in remote areas, and out-of-contract work is charged at dealer rates.

3. Breakdown-cover providers

Several organisations sell HGV breakdown cover. RAC Business offers truck cover for vehicles from 3.5 tonnes to 44 tonnes on a pay-on-use basis (an annual administration fee, then a charge per call-out) or as an annual policy with a set number of call-outs. AA Business offers a pay-as-you-go arrangement for vehicles over 3.5 tonnes with an upfront repair quote before work starts. National Breakdown's Fleet Assist and Truck Rescue products cover mixed fleets up to 44 tonnes through a 24-hour control room. Note that some consumer-facing brands exclude heavy vehicles entirely; Green Flag's fleet product, for example, is limited to vehicles under 4,000 kg. Read the exclusions carefully: tyres, load transfer, storage, abnormal loads and glass are commonly excluded or charged separately.

4. Statutory recovery

If the vehicle is on a motorway or trunk road and you cannot arrange suitable recovery within a reasonable time, or the vehicle is in a dangerous position, National Highways traffic officers or the police can order its removal under statutory powers. The charges are fixed by regulation and are high for heavy vehicles. This is the route you want to avoid by having one of the other three ready.

What does HGV roadside assistance cost?

Prices are set by each provider and depend on the vehicle, the location, the time and the fault. The figures below are typical 2026 ranges drawn from published rates and trade sources; they are not quotations, and you should always confirm the basis of charge before dispatch.

Cost component	Typical range (2026)	Notes
Attendance or call-out fee	Varies widely; some mobile tyre firms advertise no call-out charge, mechanics commonly charge for travel and attendance	Ask what the fee includes
Independent labour rate	About £50 to £85 an hour plus VAT outside London	Franchised dealers commonly charge in the region of £150 an hour
Out-of-hours uplift	Often a premium for nights, weekends and bank holidays	Mobile tyre firms typically add £20 to £50 for emergency attendance
Parts and consumables	At the provider's price plus any delivery	Ask about mark-up for emergency sourcing
Recovery	Rigid underlift from around £300 to £550 plus mileage; articulated prime-mover swap £500 to £900 plus mileage	Complex or loaded recoveries are priced per job

Two things move the bill more than the hourly rate: how long the technician spends finding you, and whether the fault could have been described accurately enough for them to bring the right parts. Both are within the driver's control.

What to have ready before you call

• The registration, make and model, and the VIN or fleet number if you have it.
• Exact location: road number, carriageway direction, junctions either side, marker post number, or a phone map pin. On a site, the HGV gate and a site contact.
• Configuration: rigid, tractor and trailer or drawbar; axle count; whether the vehicle is laden and the approximate gross weight.
• What happened: warning lamps and their text, noises, smells, leaks, and whether the vehicle will start, build air, steer or roll.
• Whether the vehicle is in a live lane, on a hard shoulder, in an emergency area, a lay-by or off the road.
• A contact name and mobile number, and who is authorising payment.

What to do while you wait

Safety first: if you are on a motorway, get behind the barrier and stay there. Keep your phone charged and answer withheld numbers, because control rooms and technicians often call from them. Tell transport control the provider's name, the ETA range and whether the request is accepted rather than just logged. If the wait will push you over your driving or duty limits, tell your transport manager now; Article 12 of the drivers' hours rules allows a departure to reach a suitable stopping place when safety requires it, provided you record the reason manually.

Do not have two providers travelling to the same incident unless you have cancelled one and understand any charge.

Roadside repair or recovery?

A competent technician can usually deal with no-starts, flat batteries, air leaks, electrical faults, minor fuel and AdBlue problems, blown lights and many tyre failures at the roadside. Steering, braking, structural, driveline and serious engine failures normally mean controlled recovery to a workshop, and no reputable provider will improvise a roadside fix on a safety system just to keep a load moving. If the provider says recovery, ask where the vehicle will go, who will accept it and what the mileage rate is.

What HGV247 does and does not do

HGV247 is a directory and request service. It lists independent providers with their published capability and coverage so you can call them directly or send one incident brief that is emailed to suitable providers near the vehicle. It is not a control room, it does not dispatch, and it takes no commission. The provider confirms availability, ETA and price with you. For immediate danger, injury, fire or a live-lane obstruction, call 999 before anything else.