Near Barking Quay test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 3 roundabouts, 17 turns and 4 signalled junctions across 23 navigation steps.
This is an independent 35.1 km practice loop near Barking Quay test centre, taking roughly 30 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.
On this route you’ll practise multiple roundabouts, dual-carriageway joins, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, 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, shops, churches and stations, 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 Barking Quay 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 114-step drive on real, named roads (about 35.0 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive southeast on Fanshawe Avenue/A123.
Fanshawe Avenue124 m
Keep left to stay on Fanshawe Avenue/A123.
Fanshawe Avenue288 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Longbridge Road/A124.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Longbridge Road/A124.
Longbridge Road20 m
Turn left to stay on Longbridge Road/A124.
Longbridge Road2.7 km
Turn left onto Upney Lane.
Upney Lane140 m
Keep right to stay on Upney Lane.
Upney Lane561 m
Turn left onto Westrow Drive.
Westrow Drive90 m
Turn left onto Melford Avenue.
Melford Avenue112 m
Turn left onto Sandringham Road.
Sandringham Road89 m
Turn right onto Upney Lane.
Upney Lane381 m
Turn left onto Levett Road.
Levett Road307 m
Turn right onto Hurstbourne Gardens.
Hurstbourne Gardens281 m
Turn left onto Longbridge Road/A124.
Longbridge Road302 m
Turn left onto Wilmington Gardens.
Wilmington Gardens556 m
Turn right onto Salisbury Avenue.
Salisbury Avenue142 m
Keep right to stay on Salisbury Avenue.
Salisbury Avenue111 m
Keep right to stay on Salisbury Avenue.
Salisbury Avenue29 m
Turn right onto Cecil Avenue.
Cecil Avenue117 m
Turn right onto Rosslyn Road.
Rosslyn Road428 m
Turn right onto Hulse Avenue.
Hulse Avenue59 m
Turn left onto Levett Road.
Levett Road262 m
Keep left to stay on Levett Road.
Levett Road118 m
Turn right onto Upney Lane.
Upney Lane483 m
Turn left onto Westrow Drive.
Westrow Drive177 m
Turn left onto Beccles Drive.
Beccles Drive25 m
Keep right to stay on Beccles Drive.
Beccles Drive252 m
Keep left to stay on Beccles Drive.
Beccles Drive291 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Beccles Drive.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto Beccles Drive.
Beccles Drive75 m
Turn right onto Upney Lane.
Upney Lane739 m
Keep right to stay on South Park Drive.
South Park Drive1.1 km
Turn left onto Green Lane/A1083.
Green Lane19 m
Keep right to stay on Green Lane/A1083.
Green Lane362 m
Turn right onto Buckingham Road.
Buckingham Road139 m
Turn left onto Stanley Road.
Stanley Road70 m
Turn left onto Melford Road.
Melford Road111 m
Turn left onto Green Lane/A1083.
Green Lane418 m
Keep left to stay on Green Lane/A1083.
Green Lane19 m
Turn right onto South Park Drive.
South Park Drive201 m
Keep right to stay on South Park Drive.
South Park Drive1.5 km
Keep left to take Upney Lane.
Upney Lane91 m
Turn left onto Beccles Drive.
Beccles Drive76 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Beccles Drive.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Beccles Drive.
Beccles Drive163 m
Keep right to stay on Beccles Drive.
Beccles Drive114 m
Keep right to stay on Beccles Drive.
Beccles Drive119 m
Keep right to stay on Beccles Drive.
Beccles Drive35 m
Turn right onto Sandringham Road.
Sandringham Road173 m
Turn left onto Upney Lane.
Upney Lane747 m
Turn right to take the A123 ramp.
A1231.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Broadway.
104 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway.
Broadway390 m
Turn right onto London Road.
London Road211 m
Move left onto Linton Road.
Linton Road146 m
Turn right onto Cambridge Road.
Cambridge Road217 m
Turn left onto Station Parade.
Station Parade43 m
Turn right.
80 m
Make a right U-turn.
80 m
Turn left onto Station Parade.
Station Parade43 m
Turn right onto Cambridge Road.
Cambridge Road403 m
Turn left onto North Street.
North Street445 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto St Paul's Road/A123.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto St Paul's Road/A123.
St Paul's Road259 m
Move right onto Axe Street/A123.
Axe Street35 m
Turn right to stay on A123.
A123603 m
Keep right to take Ripple Road/A123.
Ripple Road786 m
Turn left onto Stuart Road.
Stuart Road76 m
Turn left onto Dawson Avenue.
Dawson Avenue93 m
Turn right onto Tresham Road.
Tresham Road141 m
Turn right onto Lambourne Road.
Lambourne Road170 m
Move right to stay on Lambourne Road.
Lambourne Road153 m
Turn right onto Dawson Avenue.
Dawson Avenue95 m
Turn left onto Stuart Road.
Stuart Road76 m
Turn right onto Ripple Road/A123. Continue on A123.
A1231.6 km
Enter St Paul's Road and take the 3rd exit.
St Paul's Road103 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway.
Broadway390 m
Turn right onto London Road.
London Road211 m
Move left onto Linton Road.
Linton Road146 m
Turn right onto Cambridge Road.
Cambridge Road217 m
Turn left onto Station Parade.
Station Parade43 m
Turn right.
80 m
Make a right U-turn.
80 m
Turn left onto Station Parade.
Station Parade43 m
Turn right onto Cambridge Road.
Cambridge Road403 m
Turn left onto North Street.
North Street445 m
Enter St Paul's Road and take the 1st exit.
St Paul's Road84 m
Exit the roundabout onto Gascoigne Road.
Gascoigne Road100 m
Keep left to stay on Gascoigne Road.
Gascoigne Road634 m
Turn left onto A13/Alfred's Way.
A131.5 km
Take the Lodge Avenue/Ripple Road Junction exit towards Romford/Beacontree Heath/A1153.
A13264 m
Enter Ripple Road and take the 2nd exit onto Lodge Avenue/A1153.
Ripple Road75 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lodge Avenue/A1153.
Lodge Avenue183 m
Keep right to stay on Lodge Avenue/A1153.
Lodge Avenue170 m
Keep right to stay on Lodge Avenue.
Lodge Avenue504 m
Keep left to take Lodge Avenue/A1153.
Lodge Avenue95 m
Turn left to stay on Lodge Avenue.
Lodge Avenue1.1 km
Turn left onto Longbridge Road/A124.
Longbridge Road1.2 km
Turn right onto Meadway.
Meadway507 m
Turn left onto Dawlish Drive.
Dawlish Drive211 m
Turn right onto South Park Drive.
South Park Drive256 m
Turn right onto Water Lane.
Water Lane145 m
Turn right onto Meadway.
Meadway256 m
Turn right onto Dawlish Drive.
Dawlish Drive211 m
Turn left onto South Park Drive.
South Park Drive211 m
Turn right onto Loxford Lane.
Loxford Lane1.3 km
Turn left onto Ilford Lane/A123.
Ilford Lane186 m
Turn right onto Victoria Road.
Victoria Road155 m
Move right to stay on Victoria Road.
Victoria Road80 m
Turn left onto Loxford Road.
Loxford Road165 m
Turn left onto Tanner Street.
Tanner Street252 m
Turn right onto Loxford Terrace/A123. Continue on A123.
A123165 m
Keep left to take Fanshawe Avenue/A123.
Fanshawe Avenue56 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Barking Quay · 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.
Expect busier traffic, pick-ups and pedestrians around 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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 1.5 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 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.
Royal Oak
Start near Royal Oak.
Favorite Chicken & Ribs
Continue to Favorite Chicken & Ribs.
St Erkenwald, Barking
Continue to St Erkenwald, Barking.
Tesco Express
Continue to Tesco Express.
Auto Fix Spares
Continue to Auto Fix Spares.
Bestway International Christian Centre
Continue to Bestway International Christian Centre.
Salvation Army Church
Continue to Salvation Army Church.
Barking Methodist Church
Continue to Barking Methodist Church.
Catholic Church of St Mary & St Ethelburga, Barking
Continue to Catholic Church of St Mary & St Ethelburga, Barking.
Barking Celestial Church of Christ
Continue to Barking Celestial Church of Christ.
Be Church
Continue to Be Church.
Beks Zone
Continue to Beks Zone.
Upney
Continue to Upney.
Boundary Road
Continue to Boundary Road.
Gascoigne Primary School
Continue to Gascoigne Primary School.
Thatched House
Continue to Thatched House.
St Cedd's Church
Continue to St Cedd's Church.
Saint Thomas More, Catholic Church
Continue to Saint Thomas More, Catholic Church.
Al Madina Mosque Barking
Continue to Al Madina Mosque Barking.
BAZA Barber
Finish back near BAZA Barber, completing the loop.
5 roundabouts · 16 turns
6 roundabouts · 17 turns · 5 sets of lights
2 roundabouts · 15 turns · 1 set of lights
2 roundabouts · 10 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 35.1 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Barking Quay test centre, not an official DVSA route.