Near Birmingham (South Yardley) test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 9 roundabouts, 12 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 26 navigation steps.
This is an independent 34.1 km practice loop near Birmingham (South Yardley) 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, 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 schools, shops, churches and parks, 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 (South Yardley) 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 70-step drive on real, named roads (about 34.1 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive north on Clay Lane.
Clay Lane727 m
Turn left onto A45/Coventry Road.
A4595 m
Move left.
347 m
Enter Swan Island and take the 4th exit onto A45/Coventry Road.
Swan Island187 m
Exit the roundabout onto A45/Coventry Road.
A451.1 km
Take the exit on the right.
72 m
Turn right onto Gilbertstone Avenue.
Gilbertstone Avenue756 m
Turn right onto Aldershaw Road.
Aldershaw Road1.0 km
Turn right onto Gilbertstone Avenue.
Gilbertstone Avenue746 m
Turn right onto Clay Lane.
Clay Lane670 m
Turn left onto A45/Coventry Road.
A451.0 km
Turn left onto Forest Road.
Forest Road98 m
Move left onto Waterloo Road.
Waterloo Road401 m
Turn right onto Stockfield Road/A4040.
Stockfield Road91 m
Turn left onto Mansfield Road.
Mansfield Road224 m
Turn right onto Yardley Road/B4146.
Yardley Road270 m
Turn right onto Augusta Road.
Augusta Road166 m
Turn right onto Wynford Road.
Wynford Road178 m
Turn left onto Yardley Road/B4146.
Yardley Road97 m
Turn left onto Mansfield Road.
Mansfield Road231 m
Move left onto Stockfield Road/A4040. Continue on A4040.
A4040978 m
Turn left onto A41/Warwick Road. Continue on A41.
A41809 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A41/Warwick Road.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto A41/Warwick Road.
A413.7 km
Keep right to stay on Warwick Road.
Warwick Road492 m
Turn right onto Ashleigh Road.
Ashleigh Road383 m
Turn right onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025.
Streetsbrook Road1.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025.
17 m
Exit the roundabout onto Streetsbrook Road/B4025. Continue on B4025.
B40251.7 km
Enter Robin Hood Island and take the 4th exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
Robin Hood Island166 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34848 m
Turn right onto Fox Hollies Road/A4040.
Fox Hollies Road620 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Fox Hollies Road/A4040.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Fox Hollies Road/A4040.
Fox Hollies Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
114 m
Exit the roundabout onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
Olton Boulevard East533 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
113 m
Exit the roundabout onto Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
Olton Boulevard East797 m
Turn left to stay on Olton Boulevard East/B4514.
Olton Boulevard East41 m
Turn right onto A41/Warwick Road.
A41172 m
Turn right onto Olton Court.
Olton Court154 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Olton Court.
Olton Court154 m
Turn left onto A41/Warwick Road.
A41509 m
Turn left onto Dolphin Lane.
Dolphin Lane903 m
Move left onto Shirley Road.
Shirley Road440 m
Turn left to stay on Shirley Road.
Shirley Road44 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Shirley Road.
Shirley Road44 m
Turn left to stay on Shirley Road.
Shirley Road419 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto School Road.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto School Road.
School Road194 m
Turn right onto Lakey Lane.
Lakey Lane21 m
Make a right U-turn at Lakey Lane to stay on Lakey Lane.
Lakey Lane31 m
Turn right to stay on Lakey Lane.
Lakey Lane323 m
Turn left onto Broom Hall Crescent.
Broom Hall Crescent381 m
Turn left onto Broom Hall Grove.
Broom Hall Grove181 m
Turn left onto Broom Hall Crescent.
Broom Hall Crescent185 m
Turn left onto Gospel Lane.
Gospel Lane948 m
Turn left onto Severne Road.
Severne Road90 m
Turn left onto Tavistock Road.
Tavistock Road361 m
Turn left onto Roydon Road.
Roydon Road89 m
Turn right onto Gospel Lane.
Gospel Lane84 m
Turn left onto Swanswell Road.
Swanswell Road107 m
Turn right onto Langley Hall Road.
Langley Hall Road724 m
Turn right onto Gospel Lane.
Gospel Lane592 m
Turn right onto Swanswell Road.
Swanswell Road347 m
Turn left onto Gunns Way.
Gunns Way105 m
Turn left onto Kineton Green Road.
Kineton Green Road2.3 km
Turn left onto Barn Lane.
Barn Lane877 m
Turn right onto Woodcock Lane North.
Woodcock Lane North673 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Birmingham (South Yardley) · Route 1 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.
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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 7.8 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.
EBN Academy
Start near EBN Academy.
Whitworths
Continue to Whitworths.
South Yardley Methodist Church
Continue to South Yardley Methodist Church.
ASF Builders' & Plumbers' Merchants
Continue to ASF Builders' & Plumbers' Merchants.
St Mary the Virgin
Continue to St Mary the Virgin.
Dovehouse Nursery
Continue to Dovehouse Nursery.
Olton Clock Tower Gardens and Park
Continue to Olton Clock Tower Gardens and Park.
Golden Wok
Continue to Golden Wok.
Flower Forum
Continue to Flower Forum.
Busy Little Bees
Continue to Busy Little Bees.
Church of the Ascension
Continue to Church of the Ascension.
Hall Green Hire
Continue to Hall Green Hire.
Casey Joe's
Continue to Casey Joe's.
Oaklands Primary School
Continue to Oaklands Primary School.
St Ambrose Barlow Catholic Church
Continue to St Ambrose Barlow Catholic Church.
Harvey's Fish Bar
Continue to Harvey's Fish Bar.
Bobby's Wines & Spirits
Continue to Bobby's Wines & Spirits.
Olton Project
Continue to Olton Project.
Acrewood Nursery & Pre-school
Continue to Acrewood Nursery & Pre-school.
Journey's End
Finish back near Journey's End, completing the loop.
4 roundabouts · 25 turns · 3 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 18 turns · 3 sets of lights
10 roundabouts · 13 turns · 4 sets of lights
8 roundabouts · 17 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 34.1 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Birmingham (South Yardley) test centre, not an official DVSA route.