Near Crewe test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts, 15 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 27 navigation steps.
This is an independent 27.8 km practice loop near Crewe 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 Alvaston 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 independent driving. 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, 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 Crewe 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 111-step drive on real, named roads (about 27.8 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive east on Nile Street.
Nile Street10 m
Turn left onto Nelson Street.
Nelson Street175 m
Turn right onto Stalbridge Road.
Stalbridge Road152 m
Turn left onto Edleston Road/A5078.
Edleston Road380 m
Keep left to stay on Edleston Road.
Edleston Road264 m
Turn left onto Chester Street.
Chester Street236 m
Turn right onto Lawrence Street.
Lawrence Street38 m
Turn right onto Delamere Street.
Delamere Street232 m
Turn right onto Market Street.
Market Street52 m
Turn left onto Chester Street.
Chester Street65 m
Turn left onto Prince Albert Street.
Prince Albert Street139 m
Turn right onto Earle Street.
Earle Street87 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Earle Street/A532.
27 m
Exit the roundabout onto Earle Street/A532.
Earle Street304 m
Enter Earle Street Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Earle Street/A532.
Earle Street Roundabout108 m
Exit the roundabout onto Earle Street/A532.
Earle Street300 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Vernon Way/A532.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto Vernon Way/A532. Continue on Vernon Way.
Vernon Way481 m
Turn right onto Middlewich Street/B5076.
Middlewich Street795 m
Turn right onto Lime Tree Avenue.
Lime Tree Avenue79 m
Turn right onto Sycamore Avenue.
Sycamore Avenue351 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
132 m
Exit the roundabout onto Elm Drive.
Elm Drive81 m
Turn left onto Coronation Street.
Coronation Street383 m
Turn left onto Henry Street.
Henry Street280 m
Keep left to stay on Henry Street.
Henry Street137 m
Turn left onto Richmond Road.
Richmond Road97 m
Turn left to stay on Richmond Road.
Richmond Road20 m
Turn left onto Queen Street.
Queen Street128 m
Turn right onto Henry Street.
Henry Street347 m
Turn right onto Coronation Street.
Coronation Street382 m
Turn left onto Elm Drive.
Elm Drive241 m
Turn left onto Middlewich Street/B5076.
Middlewich Street216 m
Turn left onto Ridgway Street.
Ridgway Street136 m
Turn left onto Waine Street.
Waine Street48 m
Turn left onto Mellor Street.
Mellor Street138 m
Turn right onto Middlewich Street/B5076.
Middlewich Street795 m
Turn left onto Remer Street/B5076.
Remer Street21 m
Keep left to stay on Remer Street/B5076.
Remer Street45 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Broad Street.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broad Street.
Broad Street23 m
Keep right to stay on Broad Street.
Broad Street948 m
Turn right onto Badger Avenue.
Badger Avenue520 m
Keep right to stay on Badger Avenue.
Badger Avenue888 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Minshull New Road.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto Minshull New Road.
Minshull New Road384 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Tottys Hall Way.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Tottys Hall Way.
Tottys Hall Way116 m
Keep right to stay on Tottys Hall Way.
Tottys Hall Way125 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Tottys Hall Way.
36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Tottys Hall Way.
Tottys Hall Way673 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit.
27 m
Exit the roundabout.
49 m
Turn left onto Smithy Lane.
Smithy Lane94 m
Keep left to stay on Smithy Lane.
Smithy Lane189 m
Turn left onto A530/Middlewich Road.
A53086 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A530/Middlewich Road.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto A530/Middlewich Road.
A530536 m
Keep right to stay on A530/Middlewich Road.
A53093 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A530/Middlewich Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A530/Middlewich Road.
A53085 m
Keep left to stay on A530/Middlewich Road.
A530149 m
Keep right to stay on A530/Middlewich Road.
A530114 m
Keep right to stay on A530/Middlewich Road.
A5301.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A530/Middlewich Road.
71 m
Exit the roundabout onto A530/Middlewich Road.
A5302.6 km
Enter Alvaston Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Middlewich Road/B5334.
Alvaston Roundabout39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Middlewich Road/B5334.
Middlewich Road170 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Middlewich Road/B5334.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Middlewich Road/B5334.
Middlewich Road26 m
Keep left to stay on Middlewich Road/B5334.
Middlewich Road146 m
Turn left to stay on Middlewich Road.
Middlewich Road23 m
Turn right to stay on Middlewich Road.
Middlewich Road143 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Middlewich Road.
Middlewich Road105 m
Keep right to stay on Middlewich Road.
Middlewich Road37 m
Turn left to stay on Middlewich Road.
Middlewich Road23 m
Turn right onto Middlewich Road/B5334.
Middlewich Road173 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Middlewich Road/B5334.
49 m
Exit the roundabout onto Middlewich Road/B5334.
Middlewich Road159 m
Enter Alvaston Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A530/Middlewich Road.
Alvaston Roundabout65 m
Exit the roundabout onto A530/Middlewich Road.
A53031 m
Keep right to stay on A530/Middlewich Road.
A5302.5 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto West Street/A532.
92 m
Exit the roundabout onto West Street/A532.
West Street102 m
Keep right to stay on West Street/A532.
West Street2.1 km
Move left onto Dunwoody Way/A5078.
Dunwoody Way14 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Dunwoody Way/A5078.
70 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dunwoody Way/A5078.
Dunwoody Way87 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Dunwoody Way/A5078.
11 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dunwoody Way/A5078.
Dunwoody Way396 m
Turn left onto Harrison Drive.
Harrison Drive69 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Harrison Drive.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto Harrison Drive.
Harrison Drive69 m
Turn right onto Dunwoody Way/A5078.
Dunwoody Way394 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Dunwoody Way/A5078.
82 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dunwoody Way/A5078.
Dunwoody Way396 m
Turn left onto Harrison Drive.
Harrison Drive69 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Harrison Drive.
25 m
Exit the roundabout onto Harrison Drive.
Harrison Drive127 m
Turn right onto Flag Lane.
Flag Lane274 m
Turn left onto Wistaston Road.
Wistaston Road611 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Mill Street/A5019.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto Mill Street/A5019.
Mill Street647 m
Make a right U-turn at Nantwich Road/A534 to stay on Mill Street/A5019.
Mill Street458 m
Turn left onto Chapel Street.
Chapel Street134 m
Turn left onto Edleston Road/A5078.
Edleston Road157 m
Turn right onto Stalbridge Road.
Stalbridge Road152 m
Turn left onto Nelson Street.
Nelson Street175 m
Turn left onto Nile Street.
Nile Street82 m
Turn right onto Brooklyn Street.
Brooklyn Street10 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Crewe · Route 6 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.
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
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Alvaston Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 7.8 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 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.
Christchurch
Start near Christchurch.
Crewe Bus Station
Continue to Crewe Bus Station.
Cheese Hall
Continue to Cheese Hall.
Kings Arms
Continue to Kings Arms.
Crewe Funeralcare
Continue to Crewe Funeralcare.
Oxley's Funeral Services
Continue to Oxley's Funeral Services.
Crescent Newsagents
Continue to Crescent Newsagents.
Tanning Lounge Boutique
Continue to Tanning Lounge Boutique.
Westside VideoOff Licence
Continue to Westside VideoOff Licence.
Co-op Food
Continue to Co-op Food.
Bridge Inn
Continue to Bridge Inn.
Rising Sun
Continue to Rising Sun.
Alvaston Roundabout
Continue to Alvaston Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Victoria Gardens
Continue to Victoria Gardens.
St Barnabas
Continue to St Barnabas.
Four Eagles
Continue to Four Eagles.
Duke of Bridgewater
Continue to Duke of Bridgewater.
Earl of Chester
Continue to Earl of Chester.
Office
Continue to Office.
Union Street Baptist Church
Finish back near Union Street Baptist Church, completing the loop.
7 roundabouts · 11 turns · 3 sets of lights
1 roundabout · 17 turns · 1 set of lights
3 roundabouts · 15 turns · 3 sets of lights
5 roundabouts · 15 turns · 5 sets of lights
This route is 27.8 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Crewe test centre, not an official DVSA route.