Near Chelmsford test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 15 roundabouts, 5 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 23 navigation steps.
This is an independent 66.1 km practice route near Chelmsford 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.
Along the way you'll meet Princes Road Roundabout, Colchester Road Roundabout and Chelmer Road Roundabout. 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, 20 mph zones, changing speed limits, 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 churches, parks, 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 Chelmsford 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 185-step drive on real, named roads (about 66.2 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northeast.
135 m
Turn left onto Moulsham Street.
Moulsham Street120 m
Turn right onto New London Road/B1007.
New London Road1.4 km
Enter Market Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Market Roundabout55 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway206 m
Keep right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway482 m
Move right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway18 m
Keep right to take A1016.
A1016429 m
Keep right to stay on A1016.
A1016110 m
Take the exit on the right.
Rectory Lane406 m
Enter New Street Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Hoffmanns Way.
New Street Roundabout28 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hoffmanns Way.
Hoffmanns Way346 m
Turn left to stay on Hoffmanns Way.
Hoffmanns Way14 m
Turn right.
13 m
Turn right.
23 m
Make a right U-turn.
23 m
Turn left.
13 m
Turn left onto Hoffmanns Way.
Hoffmanns Way14 m
Turn right to stay on Hoffmanns Way.
Hoffmanns Way338 m
Enter New Street Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto New Street/B1008.
New Street Roundabout2 m
Exit the roundabout onto New Street/B1008.
New Street411 m
Turn left onto Victoria Road/A1099.
Victoria Road587 m
Turn right onto Springfield Road/A1099.
Springfield Road340 m
Enter Kings Meadow Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto High Bridge Road/A1099.
Kings Meadow Roundabout4 m
Exit the roundabout onto High Bridge Road/A1099.
High Bridge Road391 m
Enter Odeon Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Odeon Roundabout115 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway256 m
Keep right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway353 m
Enter Market Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Victoria Road South/A1099.
Market Roundabout102 m
Exit the roundabout onto Victoria Road South/A1099.
Victoria Road South285 m
Turn left onto Duke Street/A1099. Continue on Duke Street.
Duke Street35 m
Turn left.
72 m
Make a right U-turn.
72 m
Turn right onto Duke Street.
Duke Street35 m
Turn right onto Victoria Road South/A1099.
Victoria Road South293 m
Enter Market Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Market Roundabout8 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway552 m
Keep right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway51 m
Enter Odeon Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Odeon Roundabout59 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway361 m
Move right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway97 m
Enter Army & Navy Roundabout and take the 5th exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Army & Navy Roundabout166 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway447 m
Enter Odeon Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Odeon Roundabout64 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway256 m
Keep right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway353 m
Enter Market Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Market Roundabout55 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway206 m
Keep right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway482 m
Move right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway18 m
Keep right to take A1016.
A1016429 m
Keep left to take Broomfield Road/B1008.
Broomfield Road1.2 km
Turn left onto Patching Hall Lane.
Patching Hall Lane228 m
Turn right onto Rutland Road.
Rutland Road821 m
Make a right U-turn onto Essex Avenue.
Essex Avenue821 m
Turn left onto Patching Hall Lane.
Patching Hall Lane228 m
Turn right onto Broomfield Road/B1008.
Broomfield Road1.1 km
Move right onto Parkway/A1016.
Parkway525 m
Keep left to take Parkway/A1060.
Parkway345 m
Keep right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway346 m
Enter Market Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Market Roundabout66 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway552 m
Keep right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway51 m
Enter Odeon Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Odeon Roundabout59 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway361 m
Move right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway97 m
Enter Army & Navy Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Essex Yeomanry Way/A1114.
Army & Navy Roundabout59 m
Exit the roundabout onto Essex Yeomanry Way/A1114.
Essex Yeomanry Way1.7 km
Take the exit.
A1060339 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Maldon Road/A1060.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Maldon Road/A1060.
Maldon Road572 m
Move right onto Molrams Lane.
Molrams Lane56 m
Turn left to stay on Molrams Lane.
Molrams Lane48 m
Turn left onto Maldon Road/A1060.
Maldon Road643 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Maldon Road/A1060.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Maldon Road/A1060.
Maldon Road86 m
Keep left to stay on Maldon Road.
Maldon Road100 m
Turn left onto Jeffery Road.
Jeffery Road185 m
Turn right onto Crescent Road.
Crescent Road173 m
Turn left onto Maldon Road.
Maldon Road128 m
Turn left onto The Causeway.
The Causeway178 m
Move right onto Pump Hill.
Pump Hill68 m
Turn right onto High Street.
High Street200 m
Turn right onto Maldon Road.
Maldon Road660 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Maldon Road/A1060.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Maldon Road/A1060.
Maldon Road572 m
Move right onto Molrams Lane.
Molrams Lane56 m
Turn left to stay on Molrams Lane.
Molrams Lane48 m
Turn left onto Maldon Road/A1060.
Maldon Road643 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Maldon Road/A1060.
24 m
Exit the roundabout onto Maldon Road/A1060.
Maldon Road86 m
Keep right to stay on Maldon Road/A1060.
Maldon Road44 m
Turn right to take the ramp.
Essex Yeomanry Way2.1 km
Enter Army & Navy Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Army & Navy Roundabout70 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway447 m
Enter Odeon Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Odeon Roundabout64 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway256 m
Keep right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway353 m
Enter Market Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Victoria Road South/A1099.
Market Roundabout102 m
Exit the roundabout onto Victoria Road South/A1099.
Victoria Road South285 m
Turn right onto Duke Street.
Duke Street482 m
Turn right onto Bellmead.
Bellmead256 m
Turn left onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway215 m
Turn right onto New London Road/B1007. Continue on B1007.
B10071.4 km
Turn left onto Moulsham Street/B1007.
Moulsham Street21 m
Enter Miami Roundabout and take the 5th exit onto Princes Road/A1114.
Miami Roundabout189 m
Exit the roundabout onto Princes Road/A1114.
Princes Road1.2 km
Enter Princes Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Princes Road/A1114.
Princes Road Roundabout32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Princes Road/A1114. Continue on A1114.
A1114415 m
Enter Army & Navy Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Essex Yeomanry Way/A1114.
Army & Navy Roundabout117 m
Exit the roundabout onto Essex Yeomanry Way/A1114.
Essex Yeomanry Way1.7 km
Take the exit.
A1060339 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Maldon Road/A1060.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Maldon Road/A1060.
Maldon Road1.4 km
Enter Sandon Interchange and take the 1st exit onto A12/Chelmsford Bypass.
Sandon Interchange10 m
Exit the roundabout onto A12/E 30/Chelmsford Bypass.
A123.4 km
Take exit 19.
A12435 m
Enter Drovers Way Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Colchester Road/B1137.
Drovers Way Roundabout30 m
Exit the roundabout onto Colchester Road/B1137.
Colchester Road571 m
Enter White Hart Lane Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Colchester Road/B1137.
White Hart Lane Roundabout12 m
Exit the roundabout onto Colchester Road/B1137.
Colchester Road247 m
Enter Colchester Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Colchester Road/B1137.
Colchester Road Roundabout40 m
Exit the roundabout onto Colchester Road/B1137.
Colchester Road318 m
Enter Cuton Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Eastern Approach/A138.
Cuton Roundabout68 m
Exit the roundabout onto Chelmer Road/A138.
Chelmer Road976 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Chelmer Road/A138.
55 m
Exit the roundabout onto Chelmer Road/A138.
Chelmer Road956 m
Enter Chelmer Road Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Chelmer Road/A138.
Chelmer Road Roundabout41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Chelmer Road/A138.
Chelmer Road942 m
Enter Army & Navy Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Army & Navy Roundabout112 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway447 m
Enter Odeon Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Odeon Roundabout64 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway256 m
Keep left to stay on Parkway.
Parkway73 m
Move left onto New London Road/B1007.
New London Road196 m
Turn right onto New Writtle Street.
New Writtle Street392 m
Turn left onto Hart Street.
Hart Street136 m
Turn left onto Lower Anchor Street.
Lower Anchor Street253 m
Turn left onto New London Road/B1007.
New London Road703 m
Enter Market Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Market Roundabout159 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway552 m
Keep right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway51 m
Enter Odeon Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Odeon Roundabout59 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway361 m
Move right to stay on Parkway/A1060.
Parkway97 m
Enter Army & Navy Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Essex Yeomanry Way/A1114.
Army & Navy Roundabout59 m
Exit the roundabout onto Essex Yeomanry Way/A1114.
Essex Yeomanry Way1.7 km
Take the exit.
A1060339 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Maldon Road/A1060.
64 m
Exit the roundabout onto Maldon Road/A1060.
Maldon Road86 m
Keep left to stay on Maldon Road.
Maldon Road344 m
Turn left onto The Causeway.
The Causeway109 m
Turn left onto New Road.
New Road285 m
Turn left onto Crescent Road.
Crescent Road303 m
Turn right onto Maldon Road.
Maldon Road80 m
Stay straight to take the Essex Yeomanry Way ramp.
Essex Yeomanry Way2.1 km
Enter Army & Navy Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Army & Navy Roundabout70 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway447 m
Enter Odeon Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Parkway/A1060.
Odeon Roundabout64 m
Exit the roundabout onto Parkway/A1060.
Parkway256 m
Keep left to stay on Parkway.
Parkway73 m
Move left onto New London Road/B1007.
New London Road929 m
Turn right onto Writtle Road.
Writtle Road357 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Writtle Road.
10 m
Exit the roundabout onto Writtle Road.
Writtle Road2.0 km
Turn left onto The Green.
The Green193 m
Turn left onto Comyns Place.
Comyns Place11 m
Turn left onto Pump Lane.
Pump Lane64 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Pump Lane.
Pump Lane64 m
Turn right onto Comyns Place.
Comyns Place11 m
Move left onto The Green.
The Green272 m
Turn right onto Lordship Road.
Lordship Road1.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Roxwell Road/A1060.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Roxwell Road/A1060. Continue on A1060.
A10602.3 km
Turn left onto Parkway/A1016. Continue on A1016.
A1016402 m
Keep right to stay on A1016.
A1016472 m
Keep left to take Chelmer Valley Road/A1016.
Chelmer Valley Road1.1 km
Enter Springfield Hall Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Chelmer Valley Road/A1016.
Springfield Hall Roundabout68 m
Exit the roundabout onto Chelmer Valley Road/A1016.
Chelmer Valley Road1.4 km
Keep left to take Chelmer Valley Road/B1008.
Chelmer Valley Road61 m
Turn left onto Rectory Lane/B1008.
Rectory Lane325 m
Enter New Street Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Hoffmanns Way.
New Street Roundabout28 m
Exit the roundabout onto Hoffmanns Way.
Hoffmanns Way346 m
Turn right to stay on Hoffmanns Way.
Hoffmanns Way14 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Chelmsford · Route 9 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.
Pedestrian crossings and parked cars are common nearby.
Easy landmarks to navigate the loop by.
Multiple roundabouts
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Princes Road Roundabout, Colchester Road Roundabout, Chelmer Road Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 3.1 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, 50, 60, 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.
Christ Church
Start near Christ Church.
Ebenezer Strict Baptist Chapel
Continue to Ebenezer Strict Baptist Chapel.
Chelmsford Central Baptist Church
Continue to Chelmsford Central Baptist Church.
Chelmsford Mosque
Continue to Chelmsford Mosque.
Salvation Army
Continue to Salvation Army.
Broomfield Road Evangelical
Continue to Broomfield Road Evangelical.
Central Park Memorial Gardens
Continue to Central Park Memorial Gardens.
Octavia House Schools, Essex
Continue to Octavia House Schools, Essex.
Golden Fleece
Continue to Golden Fleece.
Ivory Peg
Continue to Ivory Peg.
Princes Road Roundabout
Continue to Princes Road Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Sandon Park and Ride
Continue to Sandon Park and Ride.
Colchester Road Roundabout
Continue to Colchester Road Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Chelmer Road Roundabout
Continue to Chelmer Road Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Kingdom Hall
Continue to Kingdom Hall.
Pearce Manor Park
Continue to Pearce Manor Park.
All Saint's Church
Continue to All Saint's Church.
Writtle United Reformed Church
Continue to Writtle United Reformed Church.
Lordship Science Centre
Continue to Lordship Science Centre.
Friends Meeting House
Finish back near Friends Meeting House, completing the loop.
12 roundabouts · 4 turns · 2 sets of lights
12 roundabouts · 5 turns · 2 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 13 turns · 3 sets of lights
14 roundabouts · 4 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 66.1 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Chelmsford test centre, not an official DVSA route.