Forfar Driving Test Centre: Local Knowledge Guide

DriveRoutes is an independent practice aid and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the DVSA. Examiners no longer publish fixed test routes, the roads named below are the real local network learners practise on, drawn from our route catalogue, not a copy of any examiner route.

Forfar's practical test centre is at the ASDA Supercentre, Unit 1, New Road (DD8 2AE), in a small Angus market town on the edge of Strathmore in eastern Scotland. Forfar sits just off the main A90 Perth–Aberdeen route, with a compact, walkable centre and a strongly agricultural setting all around. Our catalogue maps eight realistic loops around Forfar, a mix of moderate and challenging, ranging from a tight 14 km town route to a 57 km drive that reaches well out into the countryside.

What to expect on test day at Forfar

A Forfar test follows the standard DVSA format: about 40 minutes of driving, an eyesight check, two vehicle-safety questions, one set manoeuvre, around 20 minutes of independent driving and a possible emergency stop. Forfar driving is a blend of roundabouts and junctions near the A90, Peter Pan Roundabout among them, narrower roads into and out of town, and more variable countryside driving on local routes. The route descriptions in our catalogue bear this out: several loops carry multiple roundabouts and traffic lights, while the longer ones add open rural B-roads.

Expect the examiner to test how you cope with changing road types, settling from a roundabout sequence near the bypass into slower town streets, then onto faster, sometimes winding country roads. Several of our catalogue routes are flagged only "moderate," which fits a town that, while demanding in places, is calmer than a busy city.

The real local roads and landmarks

Every place named here comes from the routes our catalogue maps around Forfar.

• A90: Forfar is just off the main A90 Perth–Aberdeen route. The bypass keeps through-traffic out of the centre but can be busy on the approaches, where joining and gap judgement are tested.
• A926: the key local link from Forfar toward Kirriemuir, described in touring material as crossing the A90 from Forfar, and one of the main routes out of town.
• A94: part of the wider Angus network, used on routes between Forfar, Glamis and east Angus, a more open rural road with faster-moving traffic.
• Peter Pan Roundabout: a named local junction on our routes (Kirriemuir, the neighbouring town, is the birthplace of J. M. Barrie), practise reading the lane and exit early.
• Town centre near Forfar East and Old Parish Church, the West End Bar and the Original Factory Shop: compact, tighter streets that can feel busier than the bypass.
• Rural B-roads of Strathmore: narrow lanes, blind bends, farm vehicles and occasional poor surfaces.

Useful navigation landmarks on the local routes include KFC, McDonald's, Kwik Fit, the Railway and Stag pubs, and St. Margaret's Parish Church, all real points along the catalogue routes.

Notable hazards and how they are tested

The recurring Forfar pressures are junction judgement near the A90; speed changes between town and countryside; narrow lanes and blind bends; farm vehicles; and occasional flooding or poor surfaces on minor routes. The test does not stage these, they arise on the route. The skills most often tested are junction and roundabout judgement near the bypass, speed adjustment between town and country, and reading bends and meeting traffic on the rural B-roads.

Pass-rate context

Forfar's 2024 car pass rate of around 76.4% is well above the national average of roughly 48%. That fits the picture of a quiet, rural Angus centre where the route network is demanding in places but not overwhelming, and where local instruction prepares candidates well for the specific mix. As always, the figure reflects how ready the people who book here tend to be, not how forgiving the roads are, so practise the rural sections and the bypass junctions thoroughly regardless.

Area driving tips

1. Judge A90 junctions confidently. Build speed to merge and pick a safe gap rather than hesitating on the approach.
2. Adjust speed for the town. Coming off the bypass into the compact centre, slow early and watch for pedestrians and parked cars.
3. Read the rural B-roads. On the A926 and A94 and the minor lanes, slow for blind bends and be ready for farm traffic.
4. Stay smooth through roundabout sequences. Several loops carry multiple roundabouts close together, plan each exit early.
5. Watch surfaces on minor routes. After wet weather, expect standing water and poorer grip on country roads.

Manoeuvres, the independent-driving section and booking

The test format is the same nationally, but the local roads shape how it feels. At Forfar the examiner will ask for one of the four set manoeuvres: parking in a bay (driving in or reversing out), parallel parking at the kerb, pulling up on the right and reversing about two car lengths before rejoining, or being directed to stop and reverse. The quieter residential streets away from the A90 and the town centre are the natural place for these, so rehearse your reference points where parked cars and modest traffic mirror real test conditions.

The independent-driving section, roughly 20 minutes, asks you to follow either a sat-nav set up by the examiner or a sequence of road signs. In Forfar this means reading direction signs early for the A90, the A926 toward Kirriemuir or the A94 toward Glamis, positioning correctly at the roundabouts, and staying calm if you miss a turn, which is never marked as a fault in itself. Because the longer routes head out into open country, practising sign-following on faster rural roads, where junctions arrive with less warning, is especially worthwhile.

When you book, arrive in good time with a roadworthy car that is taxed, insured for the test and displaying L-plates, plus your provisional licence. A composed few minutes beforehand beats a rushed arrival off the bypass.

How to practise for the Forfar test

There is no fixed examiner route to memorise, so the goal is fluency across the local mix: the A90 junctions, the town streets and the rural roads. DriveRoutes maps eight Forfar loops with turn-by-turn navigation and an AI debrief, so you can rehearse the bypass approaches, the Peter Pan roundabout, the town centre and the country lanes toward Kirriemuir and Glamis until they feel natural. Drive the rural sections at different times so you see them in varied light and weather.