Near Eastbourne test centre
Rated easy from its real manoeuvre load, 5 roundabouts, 15 turns and 1 signalled junction across 25 navigation steps.
This is an independent 30.4 km practice route near Eastbourne 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 Cross Levels Way, Broadwater Roundabout, Lottbridge Roundabout and Birch 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, 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, shops, pubs and named junctions, 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 Eastbourne 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 98-step drive on real, named roads (about 30.3 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive east on Wartling Road.
Wartling Road128 m
Turn right to stay on Wartling Road.
Wartling Road81 m
Enter Sovereign Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Lottbridge Drove.
Sovereign Roundabout19 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lottbridge Drove.
Lottbridge Drove502 m
Enter Seaside Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside Roundabout3 m
Exit the roundabout onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside422 m
Turn left onto Rye Street.
Rye Street178 m
Turn left onto Wartling Road.
Wartling Road124 m
Turn left onto Winchelsea Road.
Winchelsea Road249 m
Turn left onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside625 m
Turn left onto Beach Road/B2106.
Beach Road234 m
Turn right onto Sidley Road/B2106.
Sidley Road158 m
Turn left onto Royal Parade.
Royal Parade50 m
Turn left to stay on Royal Parade.
Royal Parade466 m
Turn left onto Channel View Road.
Channel View Road291 m
Turn left onto Sidley Road.
Sidley Road310 m
Turn right onto Beach Road/B2106.
Beach Road233 m
Turn right onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside971 m
Enter Seaside Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside Roundabout38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside311 m
Turn left onto Winston Crescent.
Winston Crescent39 m
Turn right to stay on Winston Crescent.
Winston Crescent38 m
Turn right onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside362 m
Enter Seaside Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside Roundabout36 m
Exit the roundabout onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside1.8 km
Turn right onto Pevensey Road.
Pevensey Road52 m
Turn left to stay on Pevensey Road.
Pevensey Road780 m
Move left onto Bolton Road.
Bolton Road50 m
Enter Chiswick Place and take the 4th exit onto South Street/A259.
Chiswick Place61 m
Exit the roundabout onto South Street/A259.
South Street234 m
Turn right onto South Street/A259. Continue on A259.
A259143 m
Turn left onto Hyde Road.
Hyde Road179 m
Turn left onto Grove Road.
Grove Road150 m
Keep left to stay on Grove Road.
Grove Road134 m
Turn left onto Furness Road.
Furness Road208 m
Turn right onto College Road.
College Road177 m
Turn right onto Blackwater Road.
Blackwater Road195 m
Turn left onto Grange Road.
Grange Road205 m
Turn left onto Carlisle Road.
Carlisle Road282 m
Turn right onto Wilmington Gardens.
Wilmington Gardens199 m
Turn left onto King Edward's Parade/B2103.
King Edward's Parade841 m
Move right onto Grand Parade/B2106. Continue on B2106.
B2106218 m
Turn left onto Marine Parade Road.
Marine Parade Road78 m
Turn right onto Seaside Road/A259. Continue on A259.
A259500 m
Turn left onto Firle Road.
Firle Road108 m
Turn right onto Hoad Road.
Hoad Road88 m
Turn left onto Springfield Road.
Springfield Road43 m
Turn left onto Oxford Road.
Oxford Road91 m
Turn left onto Firle Road.
Firle Road150 m
Turn right onto Seaside/A259. Continue on A259.
A259475 m
Turn left onto Marine Parade Road.
Marine Parade Road83 m
Turn right onto Marine Parade/B2106.
B21061.1 km
Turn right onto Wilmington Square.
Wilmington Square199 m
Turn left onto Carlisle Road.
Carlisle Road729 m
Turn left onto Meads Road.
Meads Road514 m
Turn left onto St. John's Road.
St. John's Road62 m
Turn left onto Milnthorpe Road.
Milnthorpe Road54 m
Move right onto Meads Road.
Meads Road449 m
Turn right onto Carlisle Road.
Carlisle Road180 m
Turn left onto Granville Road.
Granville Road764 m
Turn right onto Dittons Road.
Dittons Road361 m
Turn left onto Southfields Road.
Southfields Road152 m
Move left onto The Goffs/A259. Continue on A259.
A2591.0 km
Turn left onto Summerdown Road.
Summerdown Road317 m
Turn left onto Summerdown Close.
Summerdown Close76 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Summerdown Close.
Summerdown Close76 m
Turn right onto Summerdown Road.
Summerdown Road1.3 km
Turn left onto Central Avenue.
Central Avenue77 m
Turn right onto Victoria Drive.
Victoria Drive665 m
Turn left onto Broomfield Street.
Broomfield Street174 m
Turn left onto Green Street.
Green Street387 m
Move right onto Victoria Drive.
Victoria Drive230 m
Turn right onto Eldon Road.
Eldon Road625 m
Turn left onto Willingdon Road/A2270.
Willingdon Road51 m
Turn right onto Rodmill Drive.
Rodmill Drive159 m
Turn left to stay on Rodmill Drive.
Rodmill Drive226 m
Turn left onto Beverington Road.
Beverington Road361 m
Turn left onto Willingdon Road/A2270.
Willingdon Road843 m
Turn left onto Hurst Road.
Hurst Road185 m
Turn left onto Mill Road.
Mill Road92 m
Turn right onto Willingdon Road/A2270.
Willingdon Road261 m
Turn right onto Rodmill Drive.
Rodmill Drive159 m
Turn left to stay on Rodmill Drive.
Rodmill Drive415 m
Enter Rodmill Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Cross Levels Way/A2280.
Rodmill Roundabout50 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cross Levels Way/A2280.
Cross Levels Way166 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Cross Levels Way/A2280.
8 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cross Levels Way/A2280.
Cross Levels Way1.1 km
Enter Broadwater Roundabout and take the 5th exit onto Cross Levels Way/A2280.
Broadwater Roundabout215 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cross Levels Way/A2280.
Cross Levels Way775 m
Enter Lottbridge Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Lottbridge Roundabout92 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Lottbridge Drove1.3 km
Enter Birch Roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Birch Roundabout22 m
Exit the roundabout onto Lottbridge Drove/A2290.
Lottbridge Drove198 m
Enter Seaside Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside Roundabout65 m
Exit the roundabout onto Seaside/A259.
Seaside422 m
Turn left onto Rye Street.
Rye Street178 m
Turn left onto Wartling Road.
Wartling Road85 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Eastbourne · Route 3 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.
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 Broadwater Roundabout, Lottbridge Roundabout, Birch Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
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.
St Andrew
Start near St Andrew.
New Hope Baptist Church
Continue to New Hope Baptist Church.
Squires
Continue to Squires.
Active Days Mobility
Continue to Active Days Mobility.
Hair Flicks
Continue to Hair Flicks.
Central Methodist Church
Continue to Central Methodist Church.
Eastbourne House
Continue to Eastbourne House.
All Saints
Continue to All Saints.
Crown & Anchor
Continue to Crown & Anchor.
Buskers Bar
Continue to Buskers Bar.
Belgian Café
Continue to Belgian Café.
Prince Albert
Continue to Prince Albert.
St Mary's (Eastbourne Parish Church)
Continue to St Mary's (Eastbourne Parish Church).
Victoria Baptist Church
Continue to Victoria Baptist Church.
Jazz Barbers
Continue to Jazz Barbers.
cemetery chapel
Continue to cemetery chapel.
Cross Levels Way
Continue to Cross Levels Way, taking the junction with good observation.
Broadwater Roundabout
Continue to Broadwater Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Lottbridge Roundabout
Continue to Lottbridge Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Birch Roundabout
Finish back near Birch Roundabout, completing the loop.
8 roundabouts · 9 turns · 2 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 13 turns · 2 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 16 turns · 1 set of lights
5 roundabouts · 18 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 30.4 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Eastbourne test centre, not an official DVSA route.