Skip to content
Practice route
ChallengingLoop

Brentwood · Route 16

Near Brentwood test centre

91.9 km
Distance
25 min
Duration
Challenging
Difficulty
19
Manoeuvres
Difficulty: Easy

Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 3 roundabouts, 11 turns and 5 signalled junctions across 19 navigation steps.

How this route is examined

This is an independent 91.9 km practice loop near Brentwood test centre, taking roughly 25 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 Marylands Interchange. 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, national-speed roads, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads and independent driving. 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 stations, churches, pubs and shops, 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 Brentwood 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.

Manoeuvre breakdown

What you’ll actually do on this loop, counted from its turn-by-turn directions.

3
Left turns
8
Right turns
3
Roundabouts
5
Traffic lights
19
Total steps

Skills & features

23
Roundabouts
49.6 km
Dual carriageway
20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 mph
Speed limits
20
Landmarks

This route helps you practise:

  • Multiple roundabouts
  • Dual-carriageway joins
  • National-speed roads
  • 20 mph zones
  • Changing speed limits
  • Residential manoeuvres
  • Busy A-roads
  • Independent driving

Road mix

  • Trunk roads 46.6 km
  • Minor roads 17.1 km
  • A-roads 7.1 km
  • Residential 4.0 km
  • motorway 3.0 km
  • B-roads 1.9 km
  • service_other 0.1 km

Turn-by-turn directions

The full 82-step drive on real, named roads (about 91.9 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.

  1. Depart:

    Drive east on Junction Road.

    Junction Road16 m

  2. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Warley Hill/B186. Continue on Warley Hill.

    Warley Hill365 m

  3. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Warley Hill.

    21 m

  4. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Warley Hill.

    Warley Hill42 m

  5. Turn left:

    Move left onto Warley Hill/B186. Continue on B186.

    B1861.0 km

  6. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Kings Road/B185.

    5 m

  7. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Kings Road/B185.

    Kings Road860 m

  8. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Park Road.

    Park Road500 m

  9. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Western Road.

    Western Road301 m

  10. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Weald Road.

    Weald Road2.3 km

  11. Turn left:

    Move left onto Wigley Bush Lane.

    Wigley Bush Lane1.2 km

  12. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Brook Street/A1023. Continue on A1023.

    A1023672 m

  13. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Brook Road.

    Brook Road26 m

  14. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Brook Road.

    Brook Road349 m

  15. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Spital Lane.

    Spital Lane259 m

  16. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Brook Street/A1023.

    Brook Street916 m

  17. Roundabout:

    Enter Brook Street Roundabout and take the 5th exit onto A12/E 30.

    Brook Street Roundabout426 m

  18. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A12/E 30/Brentwood Bypass.

    A126.7 km

  19. Take exit:

    Take exit 12.

    A12443 m

  20. Roundabout:

    Enter Marylands Interchange and take the 4th exit onto A12/Brentwood Bypass.

    Marylands Interchange218 m

  21. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A12.

    A1210.8 km

  22. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Bryant Avenue.

    Bryant Avenue654 m

  23. Turn left:

    Move left onto A127/Southend Arterial Road.

    A127229 m

  24. Turn right:

    Take the exit on the right.

    A12752 m

  25. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Ardleigh Green Road.

    Ardleigh Green Road1.6 km

  26. Turn left:

    Move left onto Butts Green Road.

    Butts Green Road644 m

  27. Turn right:

    Move right onto Billet Lane.

    Billet Lane627 m

  28. Turn right:

    Turn right onto High Street/A124.

    High Street314 m

  29. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Abbs Cross Lane.

    Abbs Cross Lane1.1 km

  30. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Elm Park Avenue.

    Elm Park Avenue636 m

  31. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto The Broadway.

    15 m

  32. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto The Broadway.

    The Broadway264 m

  33. Roundabout:

    Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Maylands Avenue.

    21 m

  34. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Maylands Avenue.

    Maylands Avenue231 m

  35. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Calbourne Avenue.

    Calbourne Avenue363 m

  36. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Coronation Drive.

    Coronation Drive97 m

  37. Turn left:

    Turn left onto South End Road.

    South End Road1.2 km

  38. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Suttons Avenue.

    Suttons Avenue882 m

  39. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Station Lane.

    Station Lane14 m

  40. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Ravenscourt Grove.

    Ravenscourt Grove618 m

  41. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Hacton Lane.

    Hacton Lane256 m

  42. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Upminster Road/A124. Continue on A124.

    A1241.4 km

  43. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Station Road.

    Station Road2.8 km

  44. Continue:

    Continue on Hall Lane.

    Hall Lane1.7 km

  45. Take exit:

    Take the Cranham exit onto M25.

    639 m

  46. Roundabout:

    Enter Cranham Interchange and take the 1st exit onto M25.

    Cranham Interchange9 m

  47. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto M25/E 15.

    M253.9 km

  48. Take exit:

    Take exit 28 towards Chelmsford/Brentwood.

    M25256 m

  49. Roundabout:

    Enter Brook Street Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A12.

    Brook Street Roundabout26 m

  50. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A12/Colchester Road.

    A12850 m

  51. Turn left:

    Move left onto Maylands Way.

    Maylands Way7 m

  52. Keep left:

    Keep left to stay on Maylands Way.

    Maylands Way109 m

  53. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Homeway.

    Homeway328 m

  54. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Harold Court Road.

    Harold Court Road370 m

  55. Turn left:

    Turn left.

    59 m

  56. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn.

    59 m

  57. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Harold Court Road.

    Harold Court Road477 m

  58. Turn left:

    Move left.

    19 m

  59. Turn left:

    Move left onto A12/Colchester Road.

    A12138 m

  60. U-turn:

    Make a right U-turn at Petersfield Avenue to stay on A12.

    A128.2 km

  61. Take exit:

    Take exit 12.

    A12443 m

  62. Roundabout:

    Enter Marylands Interchange and take the 4th exit onto A12/Brentwood Bypass.

    Marylands Interchange218 m

  63. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A12.

    A129.6 km

  64. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Gubbins Lane.

    Gubbins Lane747 m

  65. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Petersfield Avenue.

    Petersfield Avenue242 m

  66. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Paines Brook Way.

    Paines Brook Way530 m

  67. Turn right:

    Turn right onto St Neots Road.

    St Neots Road379 m

  68. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Gooshays Drive.

    Gooshays Drive196 m

  69. Turn left:

    Turn left onto A12/Colchester Road. Continue on A12.

    A129.2 km

  70. Take exit:

    Take exit 12.

    A12443 m

  71. Roundabout:

    Enter Marylands Interchange and take the 4th exit onto A12/Brentwood Bypass.

    Marylands Interchange218 m

  72. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto A12/E 30/Brentwood Bypass.

    A126.8 km

  73. Take exit:

    Take exit 11.

    A12312 m

  74. Roundabout:

    Enter Brook Street Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Brook Street/A1023.

    Brook Street Roundabout14 m

  75. Leave roundabout:

    Exit the roundabout onto Brook Street/A1023. Continue on A1023.

    A10231.3 km

  76. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Brook Road.

    Brook Road26 m

  77. Turn left:

    Turn left to stay on Brook Road.

    Brook Road349 m

  78. Turn left:

    Turn left onto Spital Lane.

    Spital Lane259 m

  79. Turn left:

    Turn left onto London Road/A1023.

    London Road814 m

  80. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Kavanaghs Road.

    Kavanaghs Road883 m

  81. Turn right:

    Turn right onto Junction Road.

    Junction Road166 m

  82. Arrive:

    You have arrived at your destination.

Directions for the Brentwood · Route 16 loop. Always drive to the road and conditions you see, not the list — signs, signals and other traffic take priority.

Local roads & landmarks

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.

Junctions & roundabouts

Decide your lane and exit on the approach to each of these, get set up early.

  • Marylands Interchange

Stations

Expect busier traffic, pick-ups and pedestrians around these.

  • Brentwood
  • Billet Lane
  • Emerson Park
  • Upminster

Schools

Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near these.

  • St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

Churches

Useful navigation anchors on the loop.

  • Brentwood Baptist Church
  • Brentwood Mosque
  • Hornchurch Methodist Church
  • Trinity United Reformed Church
  • Upminster Methodist Church

Pubs

Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.

  • Nags Head
  • Windmill

Shops & parades

Frequent stop-start traffic and pedestrians, keep your speed down.

  • Omoda/Jaeco
  • Topps Tiles
  • Domino's
  • Harold Wood Audi

Watch out for

  • 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 49.6 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, 50, 60, 70 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.

Drive it: landmark by landmark

Navigate by these 20 catalogued landmarks rather than a memorised turn list, an indicative loop, not an official DVSA route.

  1. Brentwood

    Start near Brentwood.

  2. Brentwood Baptist Church

    Continue to Brentwood Baptist Church.

  3. Brentwood Mosque

    Continue to Brentwood Mosque.

  4. Nags Head

    Continue to Nags Head.

  5. Omoda/Jaeco

    Continue to Omoda/Jaeco.

  6. Topps Tiles

    Continue to Topps Tiles.

  7. Marylands Interchange

    Continue to Marylands Interchange, taking the junction with good observation.

  8. Domino's

    Continue to Domino's.

  9. Harold Wood Audi

    Continue to Harold Wood Audi.

  10. Rock n Roe

    Continue to Rock n Roe.

  11. Billet Lane

    Continue to Billet Lane.

  12. Emerson Park

    Continue to Emerson Park.

  13. Hornchurch Methodist Church

    Continue to Hornchurch Methodist Church.

  14. Freedom Vapes

    Continue to Freedom Vapes.

  15. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

    Continue to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School.

  16. Windmill

    Continue to Windmill.

  17. Trinity United Reformed Church

    Continue to Trinity United Reformed Church.

  18. Upminster

    Continue to Upminster.

  19. Upminster Methodist Church

    Continue to Upminster Methodist Church.

  20. Bon Bons

    Finish back near Bon Bons, completing the loop.

More routes at Brentwood test centre

Route FAQs

This route is 91.9 km and takes about 25 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Brentwood test centre, not an official DVSA route.