GENERAL TRAFFIC LIMITED
Company number 01730603 · Monitor this company
Executive summary
General Traffic Limited is a financially robust regional distributor operating in the UK automotive aftermarket wholesale sector, with gross margins of 51.7% significantly exceeding the industry norm of 28-38%, reflecting a direct-sourcing procurement model and premium product mix. However, operating margin has compressed from 16.2% to 11.6%, driven primarily by a near-fourfold increase in charitable donations to £2.63 million and post-acquisition integration costs following the N.P. Alliance Ltd purchase. The company faces intensifying competitive pressure from a national consolidator pursuing aggressive pricing, but its £31.56 million net asset position and £11 million cash reserve provide the strategic optionality to absorb short-term market share losses while maintaining margin discipline. Long-term success will depend on successful integration of recent acquisitions, adaptation to the EV-driven product mix transition, and the ability to leverage regional density against national competitors' scale advantages.
Shareholders' funds
£33,192,318
Balance sheet as at 2025-12-31
What it does
The principal activity of the company in the year under review was that of provision of motor vehicle parts and accessories.
The company's own description, from its latest filed accounts.
Overview
- Company type
- Private Limited Company
- Incorporated
- 1983-06-09
- Employees
- 749 (2025 accounts)
- Registered office
- Rutland Mill, Adelaide Street, Bolton, United Kingdom, BL3 3NY
- Postcode
- BL3 3NY
- Capital
- 100,200 GBP
- Accounts category
- Full
- Charges
- 7 outstanding
Accounts
- Last made up to
- 2025-12-31
- Next due by
- 2027-09-30
- Financial year end
- 31 December
Confirmation statement
- Last statement dated
- 2026-02-08
- Next due by
- 2027-02-22
Nature of business (SIC)
- 45310 Wholesale trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories
Officers 7 current · 1 resigned
Group structure 3 subsidiaries
From persons-with-significant-control filings on the public register.
Licensed visa sponsor
Licensed by the Home Office to sponsor worker visas: Skilled Worker (Worker (A rating)).
Matched by registered name to the register of licensed sponsors (Home Office, updated daily) — check the register itself before relying on it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Data protection registration
Registered with the ICO as a data protection fee payer — Z7568543 (Tier 3), registered since 2003.
Information Commissioner's Office register of fee payers, licensed under the Open Government Licence.
Gender pay gap
0%
Women's median hourly pay above men's, 2026/27 · in the top quarter for parity
Contact details
- Website
- generaltraffic.co.uk
Order Car Parts online or Click & Collect within 5 minutes. Quality car parts in stock for all vehicles. 31 branches in the North West, Potteries, Yorkshire & Wales.
Previous registered addresses 2
| Address | Changed on |
|---|---|
| RUTLAND MILL, ADELAIDE STREET, BOLTON, BL3 3NZ | 2018-10-22 |
| 49-51 LONGCAUSEWAY, FARNWORTH, BOLTON BL4 9BP | 1996-01-24 |
Among its peers
Top 10%
by shareholders' funds, of 16 similar companies in BL
The largest employer among its local peers (749 staff).
2nd oldest of its local peers, trading since 1983.
Competitors Bolton
-
3. CARALTO LTD
This company ranks 1 among wholesale trade of motor vehicle parts and accessories in Bolton.
The class of 1983
51%
of the 13,141 companies incorporated in 1983 are still active today; 40% have since been dissolved.
A fact about the year, not a forecast for this company.
Property in England & Wales 11 titles
- Freehold
- 1
- Leasehold
- 10
- Most recent registration
- 2024-10-11
- Price paid, where recorded
- £3,100,000
- Where
- West Yorkshire (3), County Durham (2), Blackburn With Darwen (1)
| Title number | County | Tenure | Registered | Price paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DU218138 | County Durham | Freehold | 2024-10-11 | £1,240,000 |
| DU77251 | County Durham | Leasehold | 2024-10-11 | £1,860,000 |
| LAN252129 | Blackburn With Darwen | Leasehold | 2021-09-17 | — |
| CYM825639 | Wrexham | Leasehold | 2021-07-14 | — |
| YY147364 | West Yorkshire | Leasehold | 2021-01-14 | — |
| YY142289 | West Yorkshire | Leasehold | 2020-09-01 | — |
| YY128453 | West Yorkshire | Leasehold | 2019-09-19 | — |
| CYM755587 | Flintshire | Leasehold | 2018-10-26 | — |
| CH668660 | Halton | Leasehold | 2018-03-20 | — |
| SF517886 | Staffordshire | Leasehold | 2008-09-23 | — |
| LAN16935 | Lancashire | Leasehold | 2005-08-15 | — |
For addresses and the authoritative register entry, use HM Land Registry's official search (£3 per title).
Information produced by HM Land Registry. © Crown copyright 2026. Dataset as at 2026-08.