Near Birmingham (Kingstanding) test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 6 roundabouts, 9 turns and 6 signalled junctions across 23 navigation steps.
This is an independent 39.1 km practice loop near Birmingham (Kingstanding) 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.
On this route you’ll practise multiple roundabouts, dual-carriageway joins, 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 churches, shops, pubs 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 Birmingham (Kingstanding) 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 39.1 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive north.
25 m
Turn right onto Rodlington Avenue.
Rodlington Avenue146 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Rodlington Avenue.
Rodlington Avenue179 m
Turn left onto Birdbrook Road.
Birdbrook Road81 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Birdbrook Road.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Birdbrook Road.
Birdbrook Road324 m
Turn left onto Goodway Road.
Goodway Road161 m
Turn left onto Harleston Road.
Harleston Road310 m
Turn right onto Birdbrook Road.
Birdbrook Road110 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Dyas Road.
18 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dyas Road.
Dyas Road238 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Dyas Road.
63 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dyas Road.
Dyas Road238 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Dyas Road.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dyas Road.
Dyas Road1.4 km
Turn left onto College Road/A453.
College Road408 m
Turn right onto Weycroft Road.
Weycroft Road89 m
Turn left onto Broomhill Road.
Broomhill Road388 m
Turn left onto Hurstwood Road.
Hurstwood Road38 m
Turn right onto Dovedale Road.
Dovedale Road383 m
Turn right onto Kittiwake Drive.
Kittiwake Drive91 m
Turn right onto Capilano Road.
Capilano Road77 m
Turn right onto Witton Lodge Road.
Witton Lodge Road479 m
Turn right onto Sheddington Road.
Sheddington Road342 m
Turn left onto Jerry's Lane.
Jerry's Lane665 m
Turn left onto Court Lane.
Court Lane1.4 km
Turn left onto Oakwood Road.
Oakwood Road465 m
Turn left onto Jockey Road/A453.
Jockey Road163 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Jockey Road/B4149.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Jockey Road/B4149.
Jockey Road585 m
Turn right onto A452/Chester Road North.
A4522.0 km
Turn left onto Bakers Lane.
Bakers Lane719 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Aldridge Road.
69 m
Exit the roundabout onto Aldridge Road.
Aldridge Road1.5 km
Turn right onto Lowlands Avenue.
Lowlands Avenue103 m
Turn right onto Maxholm Road.
Maxholm Road60 m
Turn left onto Oakwood Drive.
Oakwood Drive236 m
Turn left onto Lilac Avenue.
Lilac Avenue63 m
Turn right onto Lowlands Avenue.
Lowlands Avenue409 m
Turn right onto Ferndale Road.
Ferndale Road298 m
Turn left onto Bridle Lane.
Bridle Lane141 m
Turn right onto A452/Chester Road.
A4521.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road North.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road North.
A4522.7 km
Turn left onto Jockey Road/B4149.
Jockey Road580 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Jockey Road/A453.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Jockey Road/A453.
Jockey Road599 m
Turn left onto Stonehouse Road.
Stonehouse Road436 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Monmouth Drive.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Monmouth Drive.
Monmouth Drive975 m
Turn left onto Darnick Road.
Darnick Road805 m
Turn left onto Jockey Road/B4149.
Jockey Road378 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Jockey Road/A453.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Jockey Road/A453.
Jockey Road599 m
Turn left onto Stonehouse Road.
Stonehouse Road436 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Monmouth Drive.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Monmouth Drive.
Monmouth Drive1.9 km
Turn right onto A452/Chester Road North.
A4521.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A4522.4 km
Turn right to stay on Chester Road.
Chester Road17 m
Turn left to stay on Chester Road.
Chester Road189 m
Make a left U-turn at Chester Road onto A452/Chester Road.
A4522.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road North.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road North.
A4521.5 km
Turn right onto Banners Gate Road.
Banners Gate Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Kings Road/B4149.
9 m
Exit the roundabout onto Kings Road/B4149.
Kings Road714 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Kings Road/B4149.
Kings Road731 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Kings Road/B4149.
61 m
Exit the roundabout onto Kings Road/B4149.
Kings Road512 m
Turn left onto Shady Lane.
Shady Lane856 m
Turn left.
114 m
Turn right.
122 m
Turn right onto Shady Lane.
Shady Lane245 m
Turn right onto Oscott School Lane.
Oscott School Lane588 m
Turn right onto Old Oscott Hill.
Old Oscott Hill14 m
Turn left onto Birdbrook Road.
Birdbrook Road412 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Birdbrook Road.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Birdbrook Road.
Birdbrook Road110 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Birmingham (Kingstanding) · Route 18 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.
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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 13.9 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.
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.
Goodway Evangelical Free Church
Start near Goodway Evangelical Free Church.
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Continue to Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Unique Hairdressing
Continue to Unique Hairdressing.
Greyhound
Continue to Greyhound.
Beggars Bush
Continue to Beggars Bush.
Bakers Lane Fish Bar
Continue to Bakers Lane Fish Bar.
Farmer Johns
Continue to Farmer Johns.
Queslett
Continue to Queslett.
Nissan
Continue to Nissan.
Bush Service Station
Continue to Bush Service Station.
Sutton Park
Continue to Sutton Park.
Little Waitrose
Continue to Little Waitrose.
Hardwick Arms
Continue to Hardwick Arms.
Building Blocks Nursery
Continue to Building Blocks Nursery.
Saint Columba's
Continue to Saint Columba's.
Good News Centre
Continue to Good News Centre.
Kings Road Methodist Church
Continue to Kings Road Methodist Church.
Munch Brunch
Continue to Munch Brunch.
Kingfisher
Continue to Kingfisher.
Little Ripley Day Nursery
Finish back near Little Ripley Day Nursery, completing the loop.
6 roundabouts · 14 turns · 2 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 11 turns · 6 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 12 turns · 3 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 13 turns · 8 sets of lights
This route is 39.1 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Birmingham (Kingstanding) test centre, not an official DVSA route.