Near Cheetham Hill test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 1 roundabout, 18 turns and 11 signalled junctions across 26 navigation steps.
This is an independent 45.4 km practice loop near Cheetham Hill test centre, taking roughly 35 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, 20 mph zones, 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 churches, stations, schools 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 Cheetham Hill 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 105-step drive on real, named roads (about 45.5 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive southeast on Alderglen Road.
Alderglen Road123 m
Turn right onto Thorngate Road.
Thorngate Road86 m
Turn right onto A6010/Elizabeth Street.
A6010244 m
Turn left onto Waterloo Road/B6180.
Waterloo Road645 m
Turn left onto Derby Street.
Derby Street325 m
Turn right onto Sherborne Street.
Sherborne Street106 m
Turn left onto Knowsley Street.
Knowsley Street68 m
Turn left onto Blacklock Street.
Blacklock Street106 m
Turn left onto Derby Street.
Derby Street170 m
Turn right onto Cheetwood Road.
Cheetwood Road310 m
Turn left onto Allison Street.
Allison Street149 m
Turn left onto Waterloo Road/B6180.
Waterloo Road368 m
Turn left onto Derby Street.
Derby Street325 m
Turn right onto Sherborne Street.
Sherborne Street106 m
Turn left onto Knowsley Street.
Knowsley Street155 m
Turn left onto Woolley Street.
Woolley Street244 m
Turn left onto Broughton Street.
Broughton Street457 m
Turn right onto Waterloo Road/B6180.
Waterloo Road500 m
Turn right onto A6010/Elizabeth Street.
A6010156 m
Turn right onto Cheetwood Road.
Cheetwood Road270 m
Turn right onto Allison Street.
Allison Street149 m
Turn left onto Waterloo Road/B6180.
Waterloo Road522 m
Move right to stay on Waterloo Road/B6180.
Waterloo Road611 m
Turn left onto Great Clowes Street/A5066.
A50661.6 km
Turn right onto Chapel Street/A6.
Chapel Street131 m
Turn left onto Dearmans Place.
Dearmans Place43 m
Turn left.
8 m
Make a right U-turn.
8 m
Turn left onto Dearmans Place.
Dearmans Place82 m
Move left.
31 m
Make a right U-turn.
31 m
Move right onto Dearmans Place.
Dearmans Place82 m
Turn right.
8 m
Make a right U-turn.
8 m
Turn right onto Dearmans Place.
Dearmans Place43 m
Turn right onto Chapel Street/A6.
Chapel Street30 m
Turn left onto Bury Street.
Bury Street210 m
Turn right onto Garden Lane.
Garden Lane79 m
Turn left onto Blackfriars Road/A6041.
Blackfriars Road1.6 km
Turn left onto Camp Street/B6186.
Camp Street523 m
Turn right onto Grecian Street.
Grecian Street229 m
Turn left onto Corinthian Avenue.
Corinthian Avenue179 m
Turn left onto Lower Broughton Road.
Lower Broughton Road252 m
Turn left onto Camp Street/B6186.
Camp Street669 m
Turn right onto Great Clowes Street/A5066.
A50661.2 km
Turn right onto St Stephen Street.
St Stephen Street616 m
Turn left onto A6/Chapel Street.
A630 m
Turn left onto A34/Trinity Way.
A341.3 km
Turn right onto A665/Cheetham Hill Road. Continue on Cheetham Hill Road.
Cheetham Hill Road223 m
Turn left onto A665/Corporation Street. Continue on A665.
A665752 m
Turn right onto A62/Oldham Road.
A6242 m
Keep left to take A665.
A665755 m
Turn right onto Store Street.
Store Street428 m
Turn left onto Boad Street.
Boad Street356 m
Turn right onto Travis Street.
Travis Street344 m
Move left onto London Road/A6.
London Road95 m
Take the ramp on the right.
London Road46 m
Keep right to take A57(M)/Mancunian Way.
A57(M)2.3 km
Keep left to take A57.
A571.4 km
Take the exit.
A57105 m
Enter Regent Road Roundabout and take the 5th exit onto A5063/Albion Way.
Regent Road Roundabout234 m
Exit the roundabout onto A5063/Albion Way.
A5063765 m
Turn left onto A6/Broad Street.
A62.5 km
Take the exit.
A6451 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bolton Road/A666.
160 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bolton Road/A666.
Bolton Road635 m
Turn right onto Agecroft Road/A6044.
Agecroft Road370 m
Turn right to stay on Agecroft Road.
Agecroft Road248 m
Turn left to stay on Agecroft Road.
Agecroft Road9 m
Turn right onto Agecroft Road/A6044.
Agecroft Road201 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Agecroft Road/A6044.
33 m
Exit the roundabout onto Agecroft Road/A6044.
Agecroft Road421 m
Turn right onto Langley Road.
Langley Road1.2 km
Turn left onto Whit Lane.
Whit Lane221 m
Turn left onto Britannia Street.
Britannia Street45 m
Turn right to stay on Britannia Street.
Britannia Street240 m
Turn left onto Blossom Way.
Blossom Way413 m
Turn right onto Littleton Road.
Littleton Road244 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A576/Cromwell Road.
3 m
Exit the roundabout onto A576/Cromwell Road.
A5761.8 km
Turn right onto A6010/St James Road. Continue on A6010.
A60103.4 km
Turn left onto A62/Oldham Road.
A62340 m
Turn right onto Cheetham Street.
Cheetham Street56 m
Turn left onto Irlam Street.
Irlam Street117 m
Turn left onto Ridings Street.
Ridings Street55 m
Turn left onto A62/Oldham Road.
A622.4 km
Keep right to stay on A62/Oldham Road.
A6239 m
Stay straight to take the ramp.
A6219 m
Turn right onto A665/Swan Street.
A665210 m
Keep left to stay on A665.
A665543 m
Turn left to take the ramp.
Cheetham Hill Road36 m
Move left onto A34/Trinity Way.
A341.3 km
Turn left onto Chapel Street/A6.
Chapel Street150 m
Turn right onto New Bailey Street/A34. Continue on A34.
A34720 m
Turn left onto St James Square.
St James Square59 m
Turn left onto South King Street.
South King Street129 m
Turn left onto Deansgate/A56.
Deansgate34 m
Turn right onto Bridge Street/A34. Continue on A34.
A34585 m
Turn left onto Chapel Street/A6.
Chapel Street167 m
Turn right onto A34/Trinity Way.
A341.0 km
Turn left onto A56/Great Ducie Street. Continue on A56.
A56748 m
Turn right onto Waterloo Road/B6180.
Waterloo Road83 m
Turn right to stay on Waterloo Road/B6180.
Waterloo Road838 m
Turn right onto Alderglen Road.
Alderglen Road199 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Cheetham Hill · Route 13 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.
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.
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 22.4 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 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.
Christ Followers International Church
Start near Christ Followers International Church.
Markaz Dar-ul-ehsan Manchester
Continue to Markaz Dar-ul-ehsan Manchester.
St Clement with St Matthias
Continue to St Clement with St Matthias.
Sacred Trinity Church
Continue to Sacred Trinity Church.
Faith Life Centre
Continue to Faith Life Centre.
Manchester Chinese Christian Church
Continue to Manchester Chinese Christian Church.
Manchester Piccadilly
Continue to Manchester Piccadilly.
Institute of Sport
Continue to Institute of Sport.
Dulux Decorator Centre
Continue to Dulux Decorator Centre.
McDonald's
Continue to McDonald's.
University of Salford Main Campus;University of Salford Frederick Road Campus
Continue to University of Salford Main Campus;University of Salford Frederick Road Campus.
St John
Continue to St John.
Lidl
Continue to Lidl.
Saint James' Church
Continue to Saint James' Church.
Anderton's Fish & Chips
Continue to Anderton's Fish & Chips.
Queens Road
Continue to Queens Road.
St Cuthbert
Continue to St Cuthbert.
Mandate Church
Continue to Mandate Church.
Salford Central
Continue to Salford Central.
Holy Order of Cherubim & Seraphim Movement Church
Finish back near Holy Order of Cherubim & Seraphim Movement Church, completing the loop.
2 roundabouts · 20 turns · 9 sets of lights
2 roundabouts · 18 turns · 12 sets of lights
1 roundabout · 14 turns · 11 sets of lights
1 roundabout · 25 turns · 7 sets of lights
This route is 45.4 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Cheetham Hill test centre, not an official DVSA route.