Near Birmingham (Sutton Coldfield) test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 3 roundabouts, 16 turns and 5 signalled junctions across 22 navigation steps.
This is an independent 36.4 km practice loop near Birmingham (Sutton Coldfield) 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.
Along the way you'll meet Tyburn House Island. 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, 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 named junctions, 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 (Sutton Coldfield) 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 97-step drive on real, named roads (about 36.4 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive east.
21 m
Turn right onto Boldmere Road/B4142.
Boldmere Road1.2 km
Turn left onto A452/Chester Road.
A452916 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A4521.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
42 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A452560 m
Enter Tyburn House Island and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
Tyburn House Island61 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A452592 m
Enter Spitfire Island and take the 4th exit onto A452/Chester Road.
Spitfire Island250 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A452256 m
Keep left to stay on A452/Chester Road.
A452339 m
Enter Tyburn House Island and take the 3rd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
Tyburn House Island65 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A452558 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A4521.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A452321 m
Turn left onto Sutton Road/A5127.
Sutton Road392 m
Turn left onto Holly Lane.
Holly Lane296 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Holly Lane.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Holly Lane.
Holly Lane970 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Holly Lane.
Holly Lane985 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Orphanage Road.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Orphanage Road.
Orphanage Road404 m
Turn left onto Silver Birch Road.
Silver Birch Road316 m
Turn left onto Sutton Road/A5127.
Sutton Road430 m
Turn left onto Orchard Road.
Orchard Road486 m
Turn right onto Holliday Road.
Holliday Road198 m
Turn right onto Edwards Road.
Edwards Road232 m
Turn left onto Orphanage Road.
Orphanage Road142 m
Turn left onto Mason Road.
Mason Road268 m
Move right onto Edwards Road.
Edwards Road196 m
Turn left onto Moor End Lane.
Moor End Lane130 m
Turn right onto Berkswell Road.
Berkswell Road184 m
Turn left onto Allman Road.
Allman Road348 m
Turn right onto Holly Lane.
Holly Lane328 m
Turn left onto Woodacre Road.
Woodacre Road218 m
Turn right onto Westmead Crescent.
Westmead Crescent185 m
Turn right onto Paget Road.
Paget Road198 m
Turn left onto Kingsbury Avenue.
Kingsbury Avenue105 m
Turn right onto Pype Hayes Road.
Pype Hayes Road92 m
Turn left onto Tyburn Road/B4148.
Tyburn Road615 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A452/Chester Road.
10 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A4521.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A452922 m
Turn left onto Gravelly Lane/B4142.
Gravelly Lane791 m
Turn right onto Norfolk Road.
Norfolk Road346 m
Turn right onto Court Lane.
Court Lane9 m
Turn left onto Bromford Close.
Bromford Close67 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Bromford Close.
Bromford Close67 m
Turn right onto Court Lane.
Court Lane126 m
Turn left onto Short Heath Road.
Short Heath Road210 m
Turn left onto Station Road/B4531.
Station Road116 m
Turn right onto Gravelly Lane/B4142. Continue on B4142.
B4142609 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Summer Road/A5127.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto Summer Road/A5127.
Summer Road112 m
Enter Six Ways and take the 2nd exit onto Woodend Road/A4040.
Six Ways16 m
Exit the roundabout onto Woodend Road/A4040. Continue on A4040.
A4040847 m
Move right onto Bromford Lane/A4040.
Bromford Lane500 m
Turn left onto A38/Tyburn Road.
A38491 m
Turn left onto Inland Road.
Inland Road181 m
Turn left to stay on Inland Road.
Inland Road159 m
Turn left to stay on Inland Road.
Inland Road93 m
Turn left onto Round Road.
Round Road250 m
Turn right onto Birches Green Road.
Birches Green Road212 m
Turn right onto Kingsbury Road.
Kingsbury Road365 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Kingsbury Road.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Kingsbury Road.
Kingsbury Road185 m
Turn left onto Tyburn Road/B4148.
Tyburn Road350 m
Turn left onto Paget Road.
Paget Road87 m
Turn right onto Kingsbury Avenue.
Kingsbury Avenue105 m
Turn right onto Pype Hayes Road.
Pype Hayes Road107 m
Turn right onto Tyburn Road/B4148. Continue on Tyburn Road.
Tyburn Road1.7 km
Make a right U-turn at Bromford Lane/A4040 onto A38/Tyburn Road.
A381.2 km
Turn left onto Kingsbury Road.
Kingsbury Road10 m
Turn right onto Tyburn Road/B4148.
Tyburn Road728 m
Turn right onto Egerton Road.
Egerton Road324 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Egerton Road.
Egerton Road215 m
Turn right onto Gunter Road.
Gunter Road384 m
Turn left onto A452/Chester Road.
A452145 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A452/Chester Road.
104 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A452560 m
Enter Tyburn House Island and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
Tyburn House Island61 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A452592 m
Enter Spitfire Island and take the 4th exit onto A452/Chester Road.
Spitfire Island250 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A452256 m
Keep left to stay on A452/Chester Road.
A452339 m
Enter Tyburn House Island and take the 3rd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
Tyburn House Island65 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A452558 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A4521.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A452/Chester Road.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto A452/Chester Road.
A452922 m
Turn right onto Boldmere Road/B4142.
Boldmere Road1.1 km
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Birmingham (Sutton Coldfield) · Route 8 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.
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 18.0 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.
Boldmere Methodist Church
Start near Boldmere Methodist Church.
Chester Road Baptist Church
Continue to Chester Road Baptist Church.
Co-operative Funeralcare
Continue to Co-operative Funeralcare.
Spitfire Barbers
Continue to Spitfire Barbers.
Tyburn House
Continue to Tyburn House.
Tyburn House Island
Continue to Tyburn House Island, taking the junction with good observation.
Pype Hayes United Reformed Church
Continue to Pype Hayes United Reformed Church.
Erdington United Reformed Church
Continue to Erdington United Reformed Church.
Erdington Leisure Centre
Continue to Erdington Leisure Centre.
HQ Bar
Continue to HQ Bar.
Erdington Elim Pentecostal Church
Continue to Erdington Elim Pentecostal Church.
Lighthouse Church | St Mary's
Continue to Lighthouse Church | St Mary's.
Rose & Crown
Continue to Rose & Crown.
Salvation Army
Continue to Salvation Army.
Six Ways Baptist Church
Continue to Six Ways Baptist Church.
Lad in the Lane
Continue to Lad in the Lane.
Catholic Church of SS. Peter & Paul
Continue to Catholic Church of SS. Peter & Paul.
Audi Approved Erdington
Continue to Audi Approved Erdington.
Birches Green Evangelical Free Church
Continue to Birches Green Evangelical Free Church.
Boldmere Oak
Finish back near Boldmere Oak, completing the loop.
3 roundabouts · 13 turns · 6 sets of lights
6 roundabouts · 10 turns · 4 sets of lights
4 roundabouts · 8 turns · 3 sets of lights
5 roundabouts · 13 turns · 5 sets of lights
This route is 36.4 km and takes about 30 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Birmingham (Sutton Coldfield) test centre, not an official DVSA route.