Near Burton-on-Trent test centre
Rated demanding from its real manoeuvre load, 11 roundabouts, 18 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 34 navigation steps.
This is an independent 34.9 km practice route near Burton-on-Trent test centre, taking roughly 50 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, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads 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 shops, churches, schools and pubs, 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 131-step drive on real, named roads (about 35.8 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 5th exit towards A5121/Burton/Leicester.
136 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5121/Burton/Leicester.
A5121598 m
Keep left to take A5121/Wellington Road.
A51211.1 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 2nd exit towards A38/Lichfield/Derby.
21 m
Exit the roundabout towards A38/Lichfield/Derby.
Parkway27 m
Keep right to stay on Parkway towards Lichfield/Derby.
Parkway606 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.
41 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
2 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 1st exit towards A5121/A50/Uttoxeter/Derby.
1 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5121/A50/Uttoxeter/Derby.
A5121539 m
Keep left to take Waterloo Street.
Waterloo Street422 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 left onto A5121/Derby Street.
A5121228 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A511/Horninglow Road.
14 m
Exit the roundabout onto A511/Horninglow Road.
A511312 m
Keep left to stay on A511/Horninglow Road.
A511964 m
Turn left onto Dover Road.
Dover Road367 m
Turn left onto Calais Road.
Calais Road25 m
Keep left to stay on Calais Road.
Calais Road116 m
Keep left to stay on Calais Road.
Calais Road47 m
Turn right onto Foston Avenue.
Foston Avenue277 m
Turn right onto Charnwood Road.
Charnwood Road447 m
Turn right onto Calais Road.
Calais Road41 m
Keep right to stay on Calais Road.
Calais Road317 m
Turn right onto Foston Avenue.
Foston Avenue240 m
Keep right to stay on Foston Avenue.
Foston Avenue36 m
Turn left onto Norton Road.
Norton Road142 m
Turn left onto Harbury Street.
Harbury Street168 m
Turn left onto Swannington Street.
Swannington Street46 m
Turn right onto Ibstock Street.
Ibstock Street114 m
Turn left onto Calais Road.
Calais Road297 m
Turn right onto Dover Road.
Dover Road142 m
Turn left onto Morleys Hill.
Morleys Hill150 m
Turn left onto A511/Horninglow Road North.
A511130 m
Turn left onto Calais Road.
Calais Road129 m
Keep right to stay on Calais Road.
Calais Road246 m
Keep left to stay on Calais Road.
Calais Road435 m
Move left onto Belvedere Road.
Belvedere Road34 m
Turn left to stay on Belvedere Road.
Belvedere Road1.1 km
Turn right onto A5121/Derby Street. Continue on A5121.
A5121641 m
Turn right to stay on A5121.
A512199 m
Turn left onto A5121/Wellington Street.
A5121395 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards A5121/A38/Lichfield.
28 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5121/A38/Lichfield.
A51211.1 km
Keep left to stay on A5121/Wellington Road.
A5121115 m
Keep right to stay on A5121.
A5121484 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards A5121/Lichfield/Derby.
38 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5121/Lichfield/Derby.
A5121293 m
Keep right to stay on A5121/Wellington Road.
A5121652 m
Enter Branston Interchange and take the 2nd exit towards Tatenhill.
Branston Interchange172 m
Exit the roundabout towards Tatenhill.
Branston Road346 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit.
4 m
Exit the roundabout.
75 m
Move right onto Branston Road.
Branston Road175 m
Turn right onto Monk Road.
Monk Road86 m
Turn right to stay on Monk Road.
Monk Road32 m
Turn left onto Barley Road.
Barley Road178 m
Turn right.
10 m
Keep right at the fork.
23 m
Turn right.
237 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards A38/Burton-upon-Trent.
25 m
Exit the roundabout towards A38/Burton-upon-Trent.
Branston Road335 m
Enter Branston Interchange and take the 2nd exit towards A5121/Burton-upon-Trent.
Branston Interchange143 m
Exit the roundabout towards A5121/Burton-upon-Trent.
A5121590 m
Keep left to stay on A5121/Wellington Road.
A5121119 m
Keep left to stay on A5121/Wellington Road.
A5121103 m
Keep left to stay on A5121/Wellington Road.
A5121114 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Abbots Bromley.
36 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 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.
Parkway590 m
Move left.
41 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
2 m
Exit the roundabout towards B5017/B5234/Abbots Bromley.
Shobnall Road149 m
Turn right onto Shobnall Street.
Shobnall Street1.1 km
Turn left onto Dallow Street.
Dallow Street42 m
Keep straight to stay on Dallow Street.
Dallow Street164 m
Move right onto Belvedere Road.
Belvedere Road408 m
Move left.
72 m
Make a sharp right onto Belvedere Road.
Belvedere Road682 m
Turn right onto Shobnall Street.
Shobnall Street1.1 km
Turn right onto Shobnall Road/B5017.
Shobnall Road907 m
Turn left.
101 m
Turn left onto Reeve Close.
Reeve Close53 m
Turn left onto Union Way.
Union Way940 m
Turn left onto Shobnall Street.
Shobnall Street873 m
Turn right onto Edward Street.
Edward Street259 m
Turn right onto Waterloo Street.
Waterloo Street192 m
Turn right onto Albert Street.
Albert Street115 m
Turn left onto Gordon Street.
Gordon Street86 m
Turn right onto Casey Lane.
Casey Lane78 m
Turn left onto Needwood Street.
Needwood Street40 m
Turn left onto Byrkley Street.
Byrkley Street268 m
Turn left onto Rangemore Street.
Rangemore Street167 m
Turn left onto King Edward Place.
King Edward Place122 m
Turn left onto A5121/Wellington Street. Continue on A5121.
A5121274 m
Turn left onto A5121/Derby Street.
A5121675 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit onto A5121/Derby Street.
87 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5121/Derby Street.
A5121871 m
Turn left onto Borough Road/B5416.
Borough Road680 m
Turn right onto Union Street/B5018.
Union Street290 m
Turn right onto Moor Street.
Moor Street390 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Burton-on-Trent · Route 4 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.
Expect busier traffic, pick-ups and pedestrians around these.
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 8.9 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.
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.
Central Laundry
Start near Central Laundry.
Burton Tyre Services
Continue to Burton Tyre Services.
St Aidan's
Continue to St Aidan's.
Shobnall Boat Services
Continue to Shobnall Boat Services.
de Ferrers Sixth Form Campus
Continue to de Ferrers Sixth Form Campus.
Samuel Allsopp Primary and Nursery School (Lower Site)
Continue to Samuel Allsopp Primary and Nursery School (Lower Site).
Royal Oak
Continue to Royal Oak.
Wyggeston
Continue to Wyggeston.
Barber Shop
Continue to Barber Shop.
Plough Inn
Continue to Plough Inn.
Friends Barber
Continue to Friends Barber.
New Baptist Church
Continue to New Baptist Church.
Busy Bees Childcare
Continue to Busy Bees Childcare.
Branston Interchange
Continue to Branston Interchange, taking the junction with good observation.
Corner House
Continue to Corner House.
St. Thomas's
Continue to St. Thomas's.
Grange Inn
Continue to Grange Inn.
Saint Paul's
Continue to Saint Paul's.
Burton-upon-Trent
Continue to Burton-upon-Trent.
Elim Pentecostal Church
Finish back near Elim Pentecostal Church, 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 34.9 km and takes about 50 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.