Near Burton-on-Trent test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 13 roundabouts and 8 turns across 25 navigation steps.
This is an independent 54.6 km practice loop near Burton-on-Trent 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.
Along the way you'll meet Branston 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, 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 pubs, schools, 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 Burton-on-Trent 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 111-step drive on real, named roads (about 54.6 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northwest on Wellington Park.
Wellington Park187 m
Turn right onto A5121/Wellington Road.
A51211.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
7 m
Exit the roundabout towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
Shobnall Road145 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
44 m
Exit the roundabout towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
Shobnall Road43 m
Turn right onto Grange Street.
Grange Street604 m
Turn right onto Casey Lane.
Casey Lane186 m
Turn left onto Gordon Street.
Gordon Street86 m
Turn right onto Albert Street.
Albert Street115 m
Turn left onto Waterloo Street.
Waterloo Street192 m
Turn right onto Edward Street.
Edward Street73 m
Turn left onto York Street.
York Street340 m
Make a sharp right onto Victoria Street.
Victoria Street189 m
Turn left onto Victoria Road.
Victoria Road105 m
Turn right onto A5121/Derby Street. Continue on A5121.
A5121473 m
Turn left to stay on A5121.
A512141 m
Turn left onto A5121/Derby Street.
A5121675 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A5121/Derby Road.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5121/Derby Road.
A5121996 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A5121/Derby Road.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5121/Derby Road.
A5121995 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A5121/Derby Road.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5121/Derby Road. Continue on A5121.
A5121985 m
Take the A38 exit.
A386.8 km
Take the Branston Interchange exit onto A5121 towards Burton-upon-Trent (South).
A38282 m
Enter Branston Interchange and take the 1st exit towards A5121/Burton-upon-Trent.
Branston Interchange9 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5121/Burton-upon-Trent.
A5121154 m
Turn right onto Main Street/B5018.
Main Street226 m
Turn right to stay on Main Street.
Main Street138 m
Turn left onto Acacia Lane.
Acacia Lane144 m
Turn right onto Mulberry Way.
Mulberry Way185 m
Turn left onto Hornbeam Way.
Hornbeam Way57 m
Turn left onto Acacia Lane.
Acacia Lane312 m
Turn right onto Main Street.
Main Street138 m
Turn left onto Main Street/B5018.
Main Street179 m
Turn left onto A5121/Wellington Road.
A5121178 m
Enter Branston Interchange and take the 3rd exit onto A38.
Branston Interchange273 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38.
A387.0 km
Take the Clay Mills exit onto A5121 towards Burton-upon-Trent (North).
335 m
Move left onto A5121.
A5121131 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A5121/Derby Road.
16 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5121/Derby Road. Continue on A5121.
A51211.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto James Brindley Way.
70 m
Exit the roundabout onto James Brindley Way.
James Brindley Way453 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto James Brindley Way.
79 m
Exit the roundabout onto James Brindley Way.
James Brindley Way455 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A5121/Derby Road.
61 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5121/Derby Road.
A5121990 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A5121/Derby Road.
57 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5121/Derby Road.
A5121994 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A5121/Derby Street.
44 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5121/Derby Street. Continue on A5121.
A5121869 m
Turn right to stay on A5121.
A512199 m
Turn left onto A5121/Wellington Street.
A5121395 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards A5189/Town Centre/Leicester.
2 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5189/Town Centre/Leicester.
A5189363 m
Keep left to take A5189/Anglesey Road.
A518923 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards A5189/A50/Town Centre/Leicester.
34 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5189/A50/Town Centre/Leicester.
A5189372 m
Turn left onto Uxbridge Street.
Uxbridge Street64 m
Turn right onto James Street.
James Street101 m
Turn left onto Ordish Street.
Ordish Street167 m
Turn left onto Park Street.
Park Street101 m
Turn right onto Uxbridge Street.
Uxbridge Street110 m
Turn right onto Moor Street.
Moor Street161 m
Turn left onto Union Street/B5018. Continue on B5018.
B5018730 m
Turn left onto A511/Horninglow Street.
A511706 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A5121/Derby Road.
50 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5121/Derby Road.
A5121996 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A5121/Derby Road.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5121/Derby Road.
A5121995 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A5121/Derby Road.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5121/Derby Road. Continue on A5121.
A5121985 m
Take the A38 exit.
A386.8 km
Take the Branston Interchange exit onto A5121 towards Burton-upon-Trent (South).
A38282 m
Enter Branston Interchange and take the 1st exit towards A5121/Burton-upon-Trent.
Branston Interchange9 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5121/Burton-upon-Trent.
A5121154 m
Turn right onto Main Street/B5018. Continue on B5018.
B50181.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Burton Road/B5018.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto Burton Road/B5018. Continue on B5018.
B50181.6 km
Turn left.
46 m
Move left towards A5189/A38/Lichfield/Derby.
A5189700 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards A5189/A38/Lichfield/Derby.
34 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5189/A38/Lichfield/Derby.
A5189391 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
27 m
Exit the roundabout towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
Shobnall Road145 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards A38/Lichfield/Derby.
21 m
Exit the roundabout towards A38/Lichfield/Derby.
Parkway634 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway.
Parkway198 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway.
Parkway539 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Parkway.
79 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway.
Parkway539 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway.
44 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway.
Parkway198 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway.
Parkway591 m
Move left.
48 m
Turn left towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
Shobnall Road1.0 km
Turn left.
101 m
Turn left onto Reeve Close.
Reeve Close53 m
Turn left onto Union Way.
Union Way107 m
Turn right onto Shobnall Road/B5017.
Shobnall Road987 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards B5017/A511/Town Centre/Leicester.
8 m
Exit the roundabout towards B5017/A511/Town Centre/Leicester.
Shobnall Road152 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards A5121/Lichfield.
56 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5121/Lichfield.
A51211.3 km
Make a right U-turn to stay on A5121/Wellington Road.
A512153 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Burton-on-Trent · Route 17 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.
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 39.9 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.
Changing speed limits
Limits change across this route (30, 40, 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.
Navigate by these 20 catalogued landmarks rather than a memorised turn list, an indicative loop, not an official DVSA route.
Grange Inn
Start near Grange Inn.
Samuel Allsopp Primary and Nursery School (Lower Site)
Continue to Samuel Allsopp Primary and Nursery School (Lower Site).
New Baptist Church
Continue to New Baptist Church.
Beech
Continue to Beech.
Stretton Day Nursery
Continue to Stretton Day Nursery.
Horninglow Linear Park
Continue to Horninglow Linear Park.
Branston Interchange
Continue to Branston Interchange, taking the junction with good observation.
Blacksmiths Arms
Continue to Blacksmiths Arms.
Outwoods Park
Continue to Outwoods Park.
Royal Oak
Continue to Royal Oak.
Mill House
Continue to Mill House.
Toolstation
Continue to Toolstation.
Oak & Ivy
Continue to Oak & Ivy.
Brews of the World
Continue to Brews of the World.
Elim Pentecostal Church
Continue to Elim Pentecostal Church.
Saint Saviour's Church
Continue to Saint Saviour's Church.
All Saints
Continue to All Saints.
Burger King
Continue to Burger King.
Little Strawberries Nursery
Continue to Little Strawberries Nursery.
St Aidan's
Finish back near St Aidan's, completing the loop.
6 roundabouts · 14 turns
5 roundabouts · 17 turns
8 roundabouts · 14 turns · 1 set of lights
6 roundabouts · 15 turns
This route is 54.6 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Burton-on-Trent test centre, not an official DVSA route.