Near Airdrie test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts, 13 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 25 navigation steps.
This is an independent 24.0 km practice loop near Airdrie test centre, taking roughly 35 min to drive. It is NOT an official DVSA examiner route, the DVSA does not publish those, but it uses the same local roads and junction types an examiner is likely to choose.
Along the way you'll meet Rawyards Roundabout and Park Crescent. Knowing the approach, lane and exit at each one before you arrive is the difference between a planned manoeuvre and a last-second reaction, and last-second reactions are where avoidable faults come from.
On this route you’ll practise multiple roundabouts, 20 mph zones, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads, independent driving and sustained concentration. Driving it a few times before your test builds the muscle memory that frees up attention for observation and decision-making on the day.
The loop is anchored by 20 catalogued landmarks, including pubs, named junctions, churches and shops, so you can navigate it from recognisable features rather than a memorised turn list. Rehearsing it in this way means that on test day the area already feels familiar, and your attention is free for the traffic rather than the map.
Whatever the route, your practical test follows the same national shape: an eyesight check, a couple of vehicle-safety questions, around forty minutes of general driving, one reversing manoeuvre chosen by the examiner, and roughly twenty minutes of independent driving following signs or a sat-nav. Practising on roads like these is how you make each of those elements feel routine rather than new.
Treat this route as practice, not a script. The value is not in repeating one fixed sequence but in getting comfortable with the road types, speed changes and junction patterns of the area around Airdrie test centre, so that whatever order your examiner chooses on the day, none of it is unfamiliar. Drive it a few times, focus on smooth observation and planning, and it becomes one more stretch of road you already know, which is exactly the kind of preparation that turns nerves into confidence.
If you are practising with a supervising driver rather than an instructor, take it steadily: agree the manoeuvre spots in advance, keep to a comfortable pace, and stop to talk through anything that felt rushed. And remember the basics that apply on every road, mirrors before any change of speed or direction, signals in good time, and a following distance that gives you room to react. Those habits travel with you long after the test is passed.
What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.
This route helps you practise:
Road mix
The full 81-step drive on real, named roads (about 24.0 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northeast on Aitchison Street/A8010. Continue on A8010.
A80101.8 km
Enter Rawyards Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Motherwell Street/A73.
Rawyards Roundabout85 m
Exit the roundabout onto Motherwell Street/A73. Continue on A73.
A73622 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A73.
53 m
Exit the roundabout onto A73.
A73490 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Clark Street/A89.
47 m
Exit the roundabout onto Clark Street/A89. Continue on A89.
A89853 m
Enter Ballies Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Baillies Lane.
Ballies Roundabout39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Baillies Lane.
Baillies Lane86 m
Turn left onto Hallcraig Street.
Hallcraig Street104 m
Turn left onto Buchanan Street.
Buchanan Street92 m
Turn right onto Graham Street.
Graham Street349 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Alexander Street/A89.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Alexander Street/A89. Continue on A89.
A891.4 km
Enter Main Street and take the 3rd exit onto Muiryhall Street East.
Main Street52 m
Exit the roundabout onto Muiryhall Street East.
Muiryhall Street East361 m
Turn right onto Lavelle Drive.
Lavelle Drive233 m
Turn right onto Agnew Avenue.
Agnew Avenue67 m
Turn right onto Irvine Crescent.
Irvine Crescent140 m
Turn right onto East Stewart Street.
East Stewart Street142 m
Turn left onto Muiryhall Street East.
Muiryhall Street East240 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Main Street.
10 m
Exit the roundabout onto Main Street.
Main Street622 m
Keep left to take Aitchison Street/A8010.
Aitchison Street486 m
Turn left onto Park Street.
Park Street287 m
Enter Park Crescent and take the 1st exit onto McKenna Drive.
Park Crescent32 m
Exit the roundabout onto McKenna Drive.
McKenna Drive438 m
Turn right onto Mulvey Crescent.
Mulvey Crescent511 m
Turn right onto Agnew Avenue.
Agnew Avenue777 m
Make a sharp left onto Kildonan Street.
Kildonan Street119 m
Make a left U-turn at Crown Street to stay on Kildonan Street.
Kildonan Street353 m
Turn right onto Portland Street.
Portland Street211 m
Turn right onto Dunbeth Avenue.
Dunbeth Avenue100 m
Turn right onto Eglinton Street.
Eglinton Street75 m
Turn right onto Laird Street.
Laird Street332 m
Turn left onto Dunbeth Road/B804.
Dunbeth Road96 m
Turn left onto Kildonan Street.
Kildonan Street1.2 km
Turn right onto Southburn Road.
Southburn Road18 m
Turn left onto Railway Road.
Railway Road256 m
Turn left onto Deedes Street/A89. Continue on A89.
A89180 m
Keep left to take Aitchison Street/A8010.
Aitchison Street486 m
Turn left onto Park Street.
Park Street287 m
Enter Park Crescent and take the 1st exit onto McKenna Drive.
Park Crescent32 m
Exit the roundabout onto McKenna Drive.
McKenna Drive252 m
Turn left onto Armour Avenue.
Armour Avenue160 m
Turn right onto Aitchison Street/A8010.
Aitchison Street5 m
Turn left onto Ralston Street.
Ralston Street131 m
Turn left onto Alexander Street/A89.
Alexander Street236 m
Turn left onto Queen Victoria Street.
Queen Victoria Street82 m
Turn left onto George Street.
George Street227 m
Turn left onto Ralston Street.
Ralston Street68 m
Turn right onto Alexander Street/A89. Continue on A89.
A89430 m
Turn right onto Railway Road.
Railway Road256 m
Turn right onto Southburn Road.
Southburn Road18 m
Turn left onto Agnew Avenue.
Agnew Avenue1.0 km
Turn right onto Portland Street.
Portland Street211 m
Turn left onto Dunbeth Avenue.
Dunbeth Avenue231 m
Turn right onto Dunbeth Road/B804.
Dunbeth Road193 m
Turn left onto Sunnyside Road/B803.
Sunnyside Road365 m
Turn left to stay on Sunnyside Road/B803.
Sunnyside Road444 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto South Circular Road/A89.
13 m
Exit the roundabout onto South Circular Road/A89.
South Circular Road393 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto South Circular Road/A89.
25 m
Exit the roundabout onto South Circular Road/A89.
South Circular Road158 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Main Street/A89.
37 m
Exit the roundabout onto Main Street/A89.
Main Street1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Main Street.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Main Street.
Main Street622 m
Keep left to take Aitchison Street/A8010.
Aitchison Street709 m
Turn left onto Davidson Street.
Davidson Street60 m
Turn right onto Burnbank Street.
Burnbank Street198 m
Turn left onto Mitchell Street.
Mitchell Street121 m
Turn right onto Davidson Street.
Davidson Street65 m
Turn right onto Mavisbank Street.
Mavisbank Street317 m
Turn left onto North Bridge Street/B802. Continue on B802.
B802337 m
Turn right onto South Commonhead Avenue.
South Commonhead Avenue63 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto South Commonhead Avenue.
79 m
Exit the roundabout onto South Commonhead Avenue.
South Commonhead Avenue63 m
Turn left onto Commonhead Street/B802. Continue on B802.
B802548 m
Turn right onto High Street/A8010. Continue on A8010.
A8010556 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Airdrie · Route 16 loop. Always drive to the road and conditions you see, not the list — signs, signals and other traffic take priority.
These are the real named features along the loop, straight from our route catalogue. Use them to recognise where you are and to anticipate the hazard each one brings, not to memorise a fixed order.
Decide your lane and exit on the approach to each of these, get set up early.
Expect busier traffic, pick-ups and pedestrians around these.
Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near these.
Useful navigation anchors on the loop.
Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.
Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.
Multiple roundabouts
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Rawyards Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Residential streets
Narrow residential roads mean parked cars, pedestrians and reduced visibility. Cover the brake, keep your speed down and be ready to give way.
Navigate by these 20 catalogued landmarks rather than a memorised turn list, an indicative loop, not an official DVSA route.
Ram's Head
Start near Ram's Head.
Rawyards Roundabout
Continue to Rawyards Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Albert Bar
Continue to Albert Bar.
Airdrie Baptist Church
Continue to Airdrie Baptist Church.
Salvation Army - Airdrie
Continue to Salvation Army - Airdrie.
West End Bar
Continue to West End Bar.
Islamic Society of Airdrie & Coatbridge
Continue to Islamic Society of Airdrie & Coatbridge.
Bar One
Continue to Bar One.
Ebenezer Evangelical Church
Continue to Ebenezer Evangelical Church.
Park Crescent
Continue to Park Crescent, taking the junction with good observation.
Corner Shop
Continue to Corner Shop.
Ian Bannen Theatre
Continue to Ian Bannen Theatre.
Portland High School
Continue to Portland High School.
Fastfit Airdrie Ltd
Continue to Fastfit Airdrie Ltd.
Coatbridge Sunnyside
Continue to Coatbridge Sunnyside.
Segton Bar
Continue to Segton Bar.
Owens Bar
Continue to Owens Bar.
Wilson Arms
Continue to Wilson Arms.
Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian Church
Continue to Airdrie Reformed Presbyterian Church.
G.McAllister Funeral Directors
Finish back near G.McAllister Funeral Directors, completing the loop.
11 roundabouts · 9 turns · 1 set of lights
8 roundabouts · 13 turns · 4 sets of lights
8 roundabouts · 19 turns · 1 set of lights
14 roundabouts · 10 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 24.0 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Airdrie test centre, not an official DVSA route.