Near Airdrie test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts, 13 turns and 4 signalled junctions across 26 navigation steps.
This is an independent 43.1 km practice loop near Airdrie test centre, taking roughly 40 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 Eurocentral Junction. 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, dual-carriageway joins, national-speed roads, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads and independent driving. 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 churches, named junctions, shops and schools, 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 109-step drive on real, named roads (about 43.1 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.
Aitchison Street57 m
Turn left onto Wilson Street.
Wilson Street272 m
Turn left onto Mavisbank Street.
Mavisbank Street187 m
Enter Park Crescent and take the 6th exit onto Mavisbank Street.
Park Crescent209 m
Exit the roundabout onto Mavisbank Street.
Mavisbank Street270 m
Turn right onto Davidson Street.
Davidson Street259 m
Turn left onto Aitchison Street/A8010. Continue on A8010.
A80101.7 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.
A73249 m
Turn right onto Drumbathie Road.
Drumbathie Road304 m
Turn left onto Springwells Avenue.
Springwells Avenue243 m
Turn left onto Clark Street/A89.
Clark Street138 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Motherwell Street/A73.
16 m
Exit the roundabout onto Motherwell Street/A73.
Motherwell Street242 m
Turn right onto Drumbathie Road.
Drumbathie Road302 m
Turn left onto Drumgelloch Street.
Drumgelloch Street81 m
Turn left onto Kenilworth Drive.
Kenilworth Drive244 m
Turn left onto Motherwell Street/A73.
Motherwell Street337 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Forrest Street/A89.
12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Forrest Street/A89.
Forrest Street1.0 km
Turn left.
93 m
Turn left.
28 m
Turn right onto Forrest Street/A89.
Forrest Street976 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Carlisle Road/A73.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto Carlisle Road/A73.
Carlisle Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Petersburn Road/B8058.
Petersburn Road1.7 km
Turn left onto Towers Road/B8058.
Towers Road489 m
Turn right onto Forrest Street/A89.
Forrest Street63 m
Turn left onto Connor Street/B8058.
Connor Street310 m
Turn right onto Burnhead Road/B8058. Continue on B8058.
B80581.2 km
Enter Rawyards Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Black Street/A8010.
Rawyards Roundabout64 m
Exit the roundabout onto Black Street/A8010.
Black Street407 m
Turn right onto Thrashbush Road.
Thrashbush Road243 m
Turn left onto Thrashbush Lane.
Thrashbush Lane79 m
Turn left onto Wellside Avenue.
Wellside Avenue348 m
Turn left onto Kennihill.
Kennihill69 m
Turn left onto South Commonhead Avenue.
South Commonhead Avenue135 m
Turn right onto Mill Road.
Mill Road221 m
Turn right onto Chapel Street/A8010. Continue on A8010.
A80101.5 km
Turn left onto Aitchison Street.
Aitchison Street10 m
Turn right onto Alexander Street/A89. Continue on A89.
A89683 m
Enter Main Street and take the 1st exit onto Locks Street/B753.
Main Street6 m
Exit the roundabout onto Locks Street/B753.
Locks Street452 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Calder Street/B753.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Calder Street/B753.
Calder Street527 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Calder Street/B753.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Calder Street/B753.
Calder Street638 m
Turn left onto Whifflet Street/A725. Continue on A725.
A7251.0 km
Take the A8 exit.
A82.5 km
Enter Eurocentral Junction and take the 3rd exit onto A8.
Eurocentral Junction177 m
Exit the roundabout onto A8.
A8189 m
Enter Eurocentral Junction and take the 5th exit onto A8.
Eurocentral Junction246 m
Exit the roundabout onto A8.
A8189 m
Enter Eurocentral Junction and take the 2nd exit onto A8/Glasgow and Edinburgh Road.
Eurocentral Junction185 m
Exit the roundabout onto A8/Glasgow and Edinburgh Road.
A81.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A8.
195 m
Exit the roundabout onto A8.
A8160 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto B799.
100 m
Exit the roundabout onto B799.
B799261 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bo'ness Road/B799.
138 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bo'ness Road/B799.
Bo'ness Road523 m
Turn right to stay on Bo'ness Road.
Bo'ness Road69 m
Turn left to stay on Bo'ness Road.
Bo'ness Road101 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Bo'ness Road.
Bo'ness Road101 m
Turn right to stay on Bo'ness Road.
Bo'ness Road69 m
Turn left onto Bo'ness Road/B799.
Bo'ness Road518 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bo'ness Road/B799.
180 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bo'ness Road/B799.
Bo'ness Road634 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Woodhall Mill Road/B802.
88 m
Exit the roundabout onto Woodhall Mill Road/B802. Continue on B802.
B8022.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Brownsburn Road/B8058.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brownsburn Road/B8058.
Brownsburn Road697 m
Turn left onto Carlisle Road/A73.
Carlisle Road1.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Clark Street/A89.
16 m
Exit the roundabout onto Clark Street/A89.
Clark Street304 m
Turn right onto North Biggar Road/B8053. Continue on B8053.
B8053801 m
Turn left onto Aitken Street/A8010.
Aitken Street168 m
Turn right onto Mill Road.
Mill Road221 m
Turn right onto South Commonhead Avenue.
South Commonhead Avenue306 m
Turn right onto Thrashbush Road.
Thrashbush Road175 m
Turn left onto Black Street/A8010.
Black Street407 m
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 2nd exit onto Carlisle Road/A73.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Carlisle Road/A73.
Carlisle Road1.3 km
Turn right onto Brownsburn Road/B8058.
Brownsburn Road697 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Calderbank Road/B802.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto Calderbank Road/B802. Continue on B802.
B8021.7 km
Turn left onto Bellsdyke Road.
Bellsdyke Road172 m
Turn left onto Faskine Avenue.
Faskine Avenue291 m
Turn right onto Firhill Avenue.
Firhill Avenue172 m
Turn right onto Woodburn Avenue.
Woodburn Avenue242 m
Turn right onto Bellsdyke Road.
Bellsdyke Road261 m
Turn right onto Cairnhill Road/B802.
Cairnhill Road545 m
Turn left.
10 m
Turn left onto Cairnhill Road.
Cairnhill Road42 m
Turn left to stay on Cairnhill Road.
Cairnhill Road10 m
Turn right onto Cairnhill Road/B802. Continue on B802.
B8021.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Broomknoll Street/B802.
25 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broomknoll Street/B802.
Broomknoll Street43 m
Turn left onto Broomknoll Church Court.
Broomknoll Church Court38 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Broomknoll Church Court.
Broomknoll Church Court38 m
Turn left onto Broomknoll Street/B802. Continue on B802.
B802432 m
Turn left onto High Street/A8010. Continue on A8010.
A8010556 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Airdrie · Route 9 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.
Pedestrian crossings and parked cars are common nearby.
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.
Dual-carriageway join
About 5.3 km of this loop is dual carriageway. Build your speed on the slip road, take an effective rearward observation, and merge without forcing other traffic to brake.
Changing speed limits
Limits change across this route (20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 mph). Watch for repeater signs and adjust early, examiners mark you down for carrying the wrong speed into a new limit.
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.
Airdrie High Kirk
Start near Airdrie High Kirk.
Rawyards Roundabout
Continue to Rawyards Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Lucky Star Chinese Takeaway
Continue to Lucky Star Chinese Takeaway.
Saint Edward's Church
Continue to Saint Edward's Church.
Petersburn Family Learning Centre
Continue to Petersburn Family Learning Centre.
Wee Park
Continue to Wee Park.
St Columba's Parish Church
Continue to St Columba's Parish Church.
Wilson Arms
Continue to Wilson Arms.
Ebenezer Evangelical Church
Continue to Ebenezer Evangelical Church.
Victoria Primary School
Continue to Victoria Primary School.
Calder Parish Church
Continue to Calder Parish Church.
Direct Joinery
Continue to Direct Joinery.
Eurocentral Junction
Continue to Eurocentral Junction, taking the junction with good observation.
Holytown War Memorial
Continue to Holytown War Memorial.
Calderbank Parish Church
Continue to Calderbank Parish Church.
Tiny Tots Academy
Continue to Tiny Tots Academy.
Cairnhill Genral
Continue to Cairnhill Genral.
Airdrie
Continue to Airdrie.
Ebenezer Congregational Church
Continue to Ebenezer Congregational Church.
Ram's Head
Finish back near Ram's Head, completing the loop.
11 roundabouts · 9 turns · 1 set of lights
8 roundabouts · 19 turns · 1 set of lights
14 roundabouts · 10 turns · 1 set of lights
10 roundabouts · 8 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 43.1 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Airdrie test centre, not an official DVSA route.