Near Burton-on-Trent test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 9 roundabouts and 9 turns across 27 navigation steps.
This is an independent 30.7 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.
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 schools, pubs, churches 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 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 77-step drive on real, named roads (about 30.6 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 Park178 m
Turn left onto A5121/Wellington Road. Continue on A5121.
A5121412 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit towards Abbots Bromley.
105 m
Exit the roundabout towards Abbots Bromley.
Parkway239 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway.
37 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway.
Parkway539 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Parkway.
93 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway.
Parkway539 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway.
Parkway238 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards A38/A5121/Lichfield/Derby.
76 m
Exit the roundabout towards A38/A5121/Lichfield/Derby.
A5121780 m
Turn left onto Main Street/B5018. Continue on B5018.
B50181.4 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
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards A5189/M42/Leicester/Nuneaton.
49 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5189/M42/Leicester/Nuneaton.
A5189916 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards Rosliston.
59 m
Exit the roundabout towards Rosliston.
Main Street1.2 km
Turn left onto Birchfield Road.
Birchfield Road220 m
Turn left onto Hazelwood Road.
Hazelwood Road58 m
Turn left to stay on Hazelwood Road.
Hazelwood Road126 m
Turn left onto Sycamore Road.
Sycamore Road153 m
Turn left onto Brackenwood Road.
Brackenwood Road287 m
Turn left onto Birchfield Road.
Birchfield Road72 m
Turn left onto Sandalwood Road.
Sandalwood Road208 m
Turn left onto Sycamore Road.
Sycamore Road731 m
Turn left onto A444/Stanton Road.
A444437 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A444/Stanton Road.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto A444/Stanton Road. Continue on A444.
A444504 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards A5189/A38/Town Centre/Lichfield.
32 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5189/A38/Town Centre/Lichfield.
A5189915 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards B5018/Branston.
10 m
Exit the roundabout towards B5018/Branston.
B50181.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Burton Road/B5018.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Burton Road/B5018. Continue on B5018.
B50181.2 km
Keep left to take Main Street.
Main Street160 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 right onto Main Street/B5018. Continue on B5018.
B50181.2 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
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards A5189/M42/Leicester/Nuneaton.
49 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5189/M42/Leicester/Nuneaton.
A5189916 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards A444/A50/Leicester.
4 m
Exit the roundabout towards A444/A50/Leicester.
A4441.2 km
Turn left onto A511/Bridge Street. Continue on A511.
A5111.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A511/Horninglow Road.
34 m
Exit the roundabout onto A511/Horninglow Road.
A511389 m
Turn right onto Hunter Street.
Hunter Street115 m
Turn right onto Thornley Street.
Thornley Street162 m
Turn right onto Parker Street.
Parker Street116 m
Turn left onto A511/Horninglow Road.
A511219 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A511/Horninglow Street.
41 m
Exit the roundabout onto A511/Horninglow Street.
A511706 m
Turn right onto Guild Street/B5018. Continue on B5018.
B50181.0 km
Enter Evershed Roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards A5189/A38/Lichfield/Derby.
Evershed Roundabout48 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5189/A38/Lichfield/Derby.
A5189574 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 3rd exit towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
44 m
Exit the roundabout towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
Shobnall Road1.1 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 18 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 11.8 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.
Busy Bees Childcare
Start near Busy Bees Childcare.
Corner House
Continue to Corner House.
Saint Saviour's Church
Continue to Saint Saviour's Church.
Sainsbury's Local
Continue to Sainsbury's Local.
All Saints
Continue to All Saints.
Crown
Continue to Crown.
Immanuel
Continue to Immanuel.
WW1 & WW2 Memorial
Continue to WW1 & WW2 Memorial.
Unicare Group - Burton
Continue to Unicare Group - Burton.
Blacksmiths Arms
Continue to Blacksmiths Arms.
Main Street Hair Studio
Continue to Main Street Hair Studio.
Saint Peter's
Continue to Saint Peter's.
Elms Inn
Continue to Elms Inn.
Easy Bathrooms
Continue to Easy Bathrooms.
Spice Hut
Continue to Spice Hut.
Inn Uendo's Bar
Continue to Inn Uendo's Bar.
Burger King
Continue to Burger King.
Little Strawberries Nursery
Continue to Little Strawberries Nursery.
St Aidan's
Continue to St Aidan's.
Central Laundry
Finish back near Central Laundry, completing the loop.
6 roundabouts · 14 turns
13 roundabouts · 8 turns
5 roundabouts · 17 turns
8 roundabouts · 14 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 30.7 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.