Near Birmingham (Kingstanding) test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 6 roundabouts, 17 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 28 navigation steps.
This is an independent 46.8 km practice loop near Birmingham (Kingstanding) 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.
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 churches, pubs, 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 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 104-step drive on real, named roads (about 46.8 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 Road110 m
Turn left onto Harleston Road.
Harleston Road310 m
Turn left onto Goodway Road.
Goodway Road296 m
Turn left onto Kingstanding Road/B4138.
Kingstanding Road1.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Kettlehouse Road.
57 m
Exit the roundabout onto Kettlehouse Road.
Kettlehouse Road326 m
Turn right onto Norbury Road.
Norbury Road171 m
Turn right onto Kilburn Road.
Kilburn Road245 m
Turn right onto Kettlehouse Road.
Kettlehouse Road187 m
Move left onto Bandywood Road.
Bandywood Road268 m
Turn left onto Wandsworth Road.
Wandsworth Road164 m
Turn left onto Dormington Road.
Dormington Road65 m
Turn left onto Bevis Grove.
Bevis Grove52 m
Turn right onto Dormington Road.
Dormington Road101 m
Turn right onto Wandsworth Road.
Wandsworth Road423 m
Turn left onto Cooksey Lane.
Cooksey Lane396 m
Turn left onto Queslett Road East.
Queslett Road East31 m
Turn right onto Brockwell Road.
Brockwell Road21 m
Turn left onto A4041/Queslett Road East.
A4041646 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Kings Road/B4149.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Kings Road/B4149.
Kings Road972 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit onto Kingstanding Road/B4138.
125 m
Exit the roundabout onto Kingstanding Road/B4138.
Kingstanding Road999 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Kingstanding Road/B4138.
Kingstanding Road1.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Rough Road.
122 m
Exit the roundabout onto Rough Road.
Rough Road939 m
Turn left onto Westwood Road.
Westwood Road1.2 km
Turn right onto George Frederick Road.
George Frederick Road123 m
Turn right onto Sutton Oak Road/B4138.
Sutton Oak Road472 m
Turn left onto Bakers Lane.
Bakers Lane416 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Aldridge Road.
69 m
Exit the roundabout onto Aldridge Road.
Aldridge Road2.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Beacon Hill/B4151.
7 m
Exit the roundabout onto Beacon Hill/B4151.
Beacon Hill490 m
Turn right onto Longwood Road/B4154.
Longwood Road1.3 km
Make a sharp right onto Barr Common Road.
Barr Common Road702 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Erdington Road.
73 m
Exit the roundabout onto Erdington Road.
Erdington Road601 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Foley Road West/B4151.
13 m
Exit the roundabout onto Foley Road West/B4151.
Foley Road West1.3 km
Turn right onto A452/Chester Road.
A4521.7 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road North.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road North.
A4521.1 km
Turn right onto Reay Nadin Drive.
Reay Nadin Drive38 m
Turn left to stay on Reay Nadin Drive.
Reay Nadin Drive118 m
Turn right onto Westwood Road.
Westwood Road753 m
Turn left onto George Frederick Road.
George Frederick Road427 m
Turn left onto Longmoor Road.
Longmoor Road323 m
Turn left onto Westwood Road.
Westwood Road337 m
Turn left onto Reay Nadin Drive.
Reay Nadin Drive45 m
Make a sharp left.
75 m
Turn left.
8 m
Turn left onto Westwood Road.
Westwood Road45 m
Turn right onto Reay Nadin Drive.
Reay Nadin Drive155 m
Turn left onto A452/Chester Road North.
A4521.0 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.
A452192 m
Turn right onto Sutton Oak Road/B4138.
Sutton Oak Road17 m
Turn left to stay on Sutton Oak Road/B4138.
Sutton Oak Road351 m
Turn right onto Bakers Lane.
Bakers Lane416 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A4041/Queslett Road East.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4041/Queslett Road East.
A40411.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4041/Queslett Road.
46 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4041/Queslett Road.
A4041770 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Aldridge Road.
6 m
Exit the roundabout onto Aldridge Road.
Aldridge Road2.2 km
Turn left onto Greenholm Road.
Greenholm Road31 m
Turn right to stay on Greenholm Road.
Greenholm Road30 m
Make a sharp right onto Aldridge Road.
Aldridge Road2.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4041/Queslett Road.
93 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4041/Queslett Road.
A4041766 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4041/Queslett Road East.
52 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4041/Queslett Road East.
A4041684 m
Turn left onto Doe Bank Lane.
Doe Bank Lane363 m
Turn left onto Frampton Way.
Frampton Way458 m
Turn left onto Bonnington Way.
Bonnington Way96 m
Move right onto Romney Way.
Romney Way428 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Kings Road/B4149.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Kings Road/B4149.
Kings Road972 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Kings Road/B4149.
82 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 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.
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 13.6 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 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.
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Start near Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Emanuel Community Church
Continue to Emanuel Community Church.
Deer's Leap
Continue to Deer's Leap.
VMB News Superstore
Continue to VMB News Superstore.
Building Blocks Nursery
Continue to Building Blocks Nursery.
Banners Gate United Reform Church
Continue to Banners Gate United Reform Church.
Queslett
Continue to Queslett.
Farmer Johns
Continue to Farmer Johns.
Foley Arms
Continue to Foley Arms.
Tesco Express
Continue to Tesco Express.
Nissan
Continue to Nissan.
Nisa Local Westwood Stores
Continue to Nisa Local Westwood Stores.
Little Waitrose
Continue to Little Waitrose.
Hardwick Arms
Continue to Hardwick Arms.
Great Barr Primary School school
Continue to Great Barr Primary School school.
Drakes Drum
Continue to Drakes Drum.
Old Horns
Continue to Old Horns.
Pheasey Evangelical Church
Continue to Pheasey Evangelical Church.
Kings Road Methodist Church
Continue to Kings Road Methodist Church.
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 46.8 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Birmingham (Kingstanding) test centre, not an official DVSA route.