Near Crawley test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 9 roundabouts, 16 turns and 2 signalled junctions across 27 navigation steps.
This is an independent 40.5 km practice route near Crawley 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.
Along the way you'll meet Southgate Roundabout, Ifield Roundabout, Hazelwick Avenue and Cheals 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, 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 named junctions, shops, stations 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 Crawley 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 100-step drive on real, named roads (about 40.5 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive southwest on The Pavillions.
The Pavillions15 m
Turn left to stay on The Pavillions.
The Pavillions32 m
Turn left onto Brighton Road.
Brighton Road263 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Brighton Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brighton Road.
Brighton Road168 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Brighton Road.
41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brighton Road.
Brighton Road193 m
Enter Pease Pottage Interchange and take the 3rd exit towards Crawley.
Pease Pottage Interchange244 m
Exit the roundabout towards Crawley.
Brighton Road1.6 km
Enter Southgate Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Southgate Avenue/A2004.
Southgate Roundabout102 m
Exit the roundabout onto Southgate Avenue/A2004.
Southgate Avenue71 m
Turn left onto Brighton Road/A2219. Continue on A2219.
A22191.5 km
Keep right to stay on A2219.
A221991 m
Turn left onto Station Way/A2220.
Station Way361 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Station Way/A2220.
17 m
Exit the roundabout onto Station Way/A2220.
Station Way93 m
Turn left onto Southgate Avenue/A2004. Continue on A2004.
A2004384 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Northgate Avenue/A2004.
81 m
Exit the roundabout onto Northgate Avenue/A2004.
Northgate Avenue1.5 km
Turn left onto Crawley Avenue/A2011.
Crawley Avenue1.2 km
Enter Tushmore Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Tushmore Roundabout57 m
Exit the roundabout onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Crawley Avenue800 m
Enter Ifield Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Ifield Roundabout50 m
Exit the roundabout onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Crawley Avenue1.2 km
Turn right onto Gossops Drive.
Gossops Drive1.1 km
Turn left onto Buckswood Drive.
Buckswood Drive333 m
Turn left onto Dower Walk.
Dower Walk268 m
Turn right onto Oatlands.
Oatlands358 m
Turn left onto Gossops Drive.
Gossops Drive173 m
Turn left onto Dower Walk.
Dower Walk418 m
Turn right onto Buckswood Drive.
Buckswood Drive333 m
Turn right onto Gossops Drive.
Gossops Drive675 m
Turn right onto Dower Walk.
Dower Walk418 m
Turn left onto Buckswood Drive.
Buckswood Drive460 m
Turn left to stay on Buckswood Drive.
Buckswood Drive149 m
Turn right to stay on Buckswood Drive.
Buckswood Drive746 m
Turn right onto Gossops Drive.
Gossops Drive329 m
Turn left onto Rother Crescent.
Rother Crescent917 m
Turn left onto Gossops Drive.
Gossops Drive986 m
Move left.
32 m
Move left onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Crawley Avenue1.3 km
Enter Ifield Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Ifield Roundabout57 m
Exit the roundabout onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Crawley Avenue805 m
Enter Tushmore Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Crawley Avenue/A2011.
Tushmore Roundabout91 m
Exit the roundabout onto Crawley Avenue/A2011.
Crawley Avenue1.2 km
Enter Hazelwick Avenue and take the 5th exit onto Crawley Avenue/A2011.
Hazelwick Avenue332 m
Exit the roundabout onto Crawley Avenue/A2011.
Crawley Avenue1.2 km
Enter Tushmore Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Tushmore Roundabout57 m
Exit the roundabout onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Crawley Avenue800 m
Enter Ifield Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Ifield Roundabout50 m
Exit the roundabout onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Crawley Avenue2.1 km
Enter Cheals Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Cheals Roundabout59 m
Exit the roundabout onto Crawley Avenue/A23.
Crawley Avenue914 m
Enter Southgate Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Brighton Road/A23.
Southgate Roundabout56 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brighton Road/A23.
Brighton Road1.6 km
Enter Pease Pottage Interchange and take the 2nd exit towards Pease Pottage/Services.
Pease Pottage Interchange167 m
Exit the roundabout towards Pease Pottage/Services.
Brighton Road227 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Brighton Road.
73 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brighton Road.
Brighton Road172 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Horsham Road.
50 m
Exit the roundabout onto Horsham Road.
Horsham Road204 m
Turn left to stay on Horsham Road.
Horsham Road496 m
Turn right onto Stanhope Road.
Stanhope Road31 m
Turn right onto Brougham Lane.
Brougham Lane77 m
Turn left onto Hansom Way.
Hansom Way234 m
Turn right onto Brougham Lane.
Brougham Lane43 m
Turn left onto Stanhope Road.
Stanhope Road31 m
Turn left onto Horsham Road.
Horsham Road495 m
Turn right to stay on Horsham Road.
Horsham Road205 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Brighton Road.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brighton Road.
Brighton Road168 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Brighton Road.
41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Brighton Road.
Brighton Road193 m
Enter Pease Pottage Interchange and take the 3rd exit towards Crawley.
Pease Pottage Interchange244 m
Exit the roundabout towards Crawley.
Brighton Road1.6 km
Enter Southgate Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Southgate Avenue/A2004.
Southgate Roundabout102 m
Exit the roundabout onto Southgate Avenue/A2004.
Southgate Avenue71 m
Turn left onto Brighton Road/A2219.
Brighton Road241 m
Turn left onto Downland Drive.
Downland Drive690 m
Turn right onto Clayton Hill.
Clayton Hill89 m
Turn right onto Chanctonbury Way.
Chanctonbury Way275 m
Turn left to stay on Chanctonbury Way.
Chanctonbury Way294 m
Turn right onto Brighton Road/A2219.
Brighton Road616 m
Turn right onto Southgate Avenue/A2004.
Southgate Avenue64 m
Enter Southgate Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Southgate Avenue/A2004.
Southgate Roundabout161 m
Exit the roundabout onto Southgate Avenue/A2004.
Southgate Avenue71 m
Turn left onto Brighton Road/A2219.
Brighton Road836 m
Turn right onto Southgate Road.
Southgate Road231 m
Turn left onto Malthouse Road.
Malthouse Road444 m
Turn left onto East Park.
East Park218 m
Turn left onto Brighton Road/A2219.
Brighton Road394 m
Turn left onto Southgate Road.
Southgate Road231 m
Turn left onto Malthouse Road.
Malthouse Road89 m
Turn right onto Brewer Road.
Brewer Road229 m
Turn right onto Southgate Drive.
Southgate Drive607 m
Turn right onto Brighton Road/A2219.
Brighton Road274 m
Turn right onto Southgate Road.
Southgate Road231 m
Turn right onto Malthouse Road.
Malthouse Road242 m
Turn left onto Brighton Road/A2219.
Brighton Road666 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Crawley · Route 1 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.
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
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Southgate Roundabout, Ifield Roundabout, Cheals Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 0.7 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 (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.
Southgate Roundabout
Start near Southgate Roundabout.
West Cornwall Pasty Company
Continue to West Cornwall Pasty Company.
Crawley
Continue to Crawley.
New Moon
Continue to New Moon.
Holland & Barrett
Continue to Holland & Barrett.
Primark
Continue to Primark.
McDonald's
Continue to McDonald's.
Ifield Roundabout
Continue to Ifield Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Papa John's
Continue to Papa John's.
Windmill
Continue to Windmill.
St Alban's
Continue to St Alban's.
Hazelwick Avenue
Continue to Hazelwick Avenue, taking the junction with good observation.
Cheals Roundabout
Continue to Cheals Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Black Swan
Continue to Black Swan.
WHSmith
Continue to WHSmith.
Greggs
Continue to Greggs.
M&S Foodhall
Continue to M&S Foodhall.
Tesco Express
Continue to Tesco Express.
Fred's Barbers
Continue to Fred's Barbers.
Christchurch
Finish back near Christchurch, completing the loop.
9 roundabouts · 9 turns · 1 set of lights
8 roundabouts · 12 turns
12 roundabouts · 6 turns · 1 set of lights
10 roundabouts · 16 turns
This route is 40.5 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Crawley test centre, not an official DVSA route.