Near Cheetham Hill test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 2 roundabouts, 18 turns and 12 signalled junctions across 27 navigation steps.
This is an independent 60.1 km practice loop near Cheetham Hill 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, 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 schools, 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 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 121-step drive on real, named roads (about 60.1 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 Road277 m
Turn left onto Allison Street.
Allison Street149 m
Turn left onto Cheetwood Road.
Cheetwood Road270 m
Turn left onto A6010/Elizabeth Street.
A6010156 m
Turn left onto Waterloo Road/B6180.
Waterloo Road277 m
Turn left onto Allison Street.
Allison Street149 m
Turn right onto Cheetwood Road.
Cheetwood Road170 m
Turn left onto Broughton Street.
Broughton Street105 m
Turn left onto Sherborne Street.
Sherborne Street174 m
Turn left onto Allison Street.
Allison Street255 m
Turn right onto Waterloo Road/B6180.
Waterloo Road277 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 right onto Great Clowes Street/A5066.
Great Clowes Street615 m
Turn right onto A576/Great Cheetham Street West.
A576296 m
Turn right onto A56/Bury New Road. Continue on A56.
A561.7 km
Turn left onto A34/Trinity Way.
A34293 m
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.
A665741 m
Turn left onto A62/Oldham Road.
A62422 m
Turn right onto Poland Street.
Poland Street82 m
Turn right onto Silk Street.
Silk Street96 m
Turn right onto Radium Street.
Radium Street71 m
Turn left onto A62/Oldham Road.
A62370 m
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.
A34829 m
Turn right onto Blackfriars Road/A6041.
Blackfriars Road487 m
Turn left onto Silk Street/A5066.
Silk Street237 m
Turn right onto Brocade Close.
Brocade Close74 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Brocade Close.
71 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brocade Close.
Brocade Close74 m
Turn left onto Silk Street/A5066.
Silk Street237 m
Turn left onto Blackfriars Road/A5066. Continue on A5066.
A50661.3 km
Turn left onto A576/Great Cheetham Street West. Continue on A576.
A5761.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Littleton Road.
72 m
Exit the roundabout onto Littleton Road.
Littleton Road669 m
Turn left onto Ayrshire Road.
Ayrshire Road94 m
Turn right onto Ukraine Road.
Ukraine Road99 m
Turn right onto Northallerton Road.
Northallerton Road93 m
Turn right onto Littleton Road.
Littleton Road772 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A576/Cromwell Road.
3 m
Exit the roundabout onto A576/Cromwell Road. Continue on A576.
A5761.1 km
Turn right onto Great Clowes Street/A5066. Continue on A5066.
A50661.3 km
Turn right onto Silk Street/A5066.
Silk Street414 m
Turn right onto Blackburn Street.
Blackburn Street194 m
Turn left to stay on Blackburn Street.
Blackburn Street36 m
Turn right to stay on Blackburn Street.
Blackburn Street1 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Blackburn Street.
Blackburn Street1 m
Turn left to stay on Blackburn Street.
Blackburn Street36 m
Turn right to stay on Blackburn Street.
Blackburn Street194 m
Turn left onto Silk Street/A5066.
Silk Street413 m
Turn right onto Blackfriars Road/A6041.
Blackfriars Road446 m
Turn left onto A34/Trinity Way.
A34878 m
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.
A665741 m
Turn left onto A62/Oldham Road.
A624.5 km
Turn right onto Peel Street.
Peel Street50 m
Turn right onto Hobson Street.
Hobson Street176 m
Turn right onto Linwood Street.
Linwood Street49 m
Turn left onto A62/Oldham Road.
A624.4 km
Keep left to take A665.
A665232 m
Turn right onto Newton Street/A62. Continue on Newton Street.
Newton Street417 m
Turn left onto Piccadilly.
Piccadilly527 m
Turn right onto Fairfield Street/B6469. Continue on B6469.
B6469314 m
Turn right onto Sackville Street.
Sackville Street303 m
Turn right onto Portland Street/A5103.
Portland Street64 m
Turn left onto Charlotte Street.
Charlotte Street124 m
Turn left onto George Street.
George Street85 m
Turn right onto Nicholas Street.
Nicholas Street142 m
Turn left onto Cooper Street.
Cooper Street76 m
Turn right onto Princess Street/A34. Continue on A34.
A34984 m
Turn right onto Chapel Street/A6.
Chapel Street404 m
Turn left onto Blackfriars Road/A6041.
Blackfriars Road345 m
Turn left onto A34/Trinity Way.
A34471 m
Turn right onto A6/Chapel Street. Continue on A6.
A61.3 km
Keep right to stay on A6.
A62.5 km
Take the exit.
A6451 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit onto A6/Broad Street.
241 m
Exit the roundabout onto A6/Broad Street.
A62.8 km
Take the A5063 exit.
A5063965 m
Enter Regent Road Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A57/Regent Road.
Regent Road Roundabout8 m
Exit the roundabout onto A57.
A571.7 km
Move right onto A57/Mancunian Way. Continue on Mancunian Way.
Mancunian Way2.6 km
Turn left onto Hoyle Street.
Hoyle Street186 m
Turn left onto Temperance Street.
Temperance Street171 m
Move left onto Fairfield Street/B6469.
Fairfield Street144 m
Make a sharp right onto Travis Street.
Travis Street152 m
Turn left onto Sheffield Street.
Sheffield Street356 m
Turn right onto Store Street.
Store Street413 m
Turn left onto A665/Great Ancoats Street. Continue on A665.
A665947 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.
A34272 m
Turn right onto A56/Great Ducie Street. Continue on A56.
A56796 m
Turn left onto Broughton Lane.
Broughton Lane938 m
Turn left onto Camp Street/B6186. Continue on B6186.
B6186959 m
Turn right onto Lissadel Street.
Lissadel Street445 m
Turn right onto A576/Cromwell Road.
A576440 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A576/Cromwell Road.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto A576/Cromwell Road.
A576493 m
Turn right onto Lower Broughton Road.
Lower Broughton Road418 m
Turn left onto Camp Street/B6186.
Camp Street669 m
Turn left onto Great Clowes Street/A5066.
Great Clowes Street268 m
Turn right onto A576/Great Cheetham Street West.
A576296 m
Turn right onto A56/Bury New Road.
A56259 m
Turn right onto Upper Camp Street/B6186.
Upper Camp Street246 m
Turn left onto Great Clowes Street/A5066.
Great Clowes Street347 m
Turn left onto Broughton Lane.
Broughton Lane619 m
Move left onto Waterloo Road/B6180.
Waterloo Road830 m
Turn right onto Alderglen Road.
Alderglen Road199 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Cheetham Hill · Route 20 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.
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 34.1 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.
Cheetwood Primary School
Start near Cheetwood Primary School.
St Clement with St Matthias
Continue to St Clement with St Matthias.
Manchester Chinese Christian Church
Continue to Manchester Chinese Christian Church.
Rose & Monkey Hotel
Continue to Rose & Monkey Hotel.
Friars Early Years
Continue to Friars Early Years.
St Aidan
Continue to St Aidan.
Lidl
Continue to Lidl.
Faith Life Centre
Continue to Faith Life Centre.
Brian Kidd Recreational Facility
Continue to Brian Kidd Recreational Facility.
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses
Continue to Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.
St Cuthbert
Continue to St Cuthbert.
Chorlton Street
Continue to Chorlton Street.
Salford Central
Continue to Salford Central.
Humphrey Booth House
Continue to Humphrey Booth House.
Red Lion
Continue to Red Lion.
Salford Crescent
Continue to Salford Crescent.
Crown Street Primary School
Continue to Crown Street Primary School.
Institute of Sport
Continue to Institute of Sport.
Eternal Life Sanctuary
Continue to Eternal Life Sanctuary.
City Skills
Finish back near City Skills, completing the loop.
2 roundabouts · 20 turns · 9 sets of lights
1 roundabout · 14 turns · 11 sets of lights
1 roundabout · 18 turns · 11 sets of lights
1 roundabout · 25 turns · 7 sets of lights
This route is 60.1 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Cheetham Hill test centre, not an official DVSA route.