Near Gloucester test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 9 roundabouts, 9 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 22 navigation steps.
This is an independent 39.9 km practice loop near Gloucester 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.
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 shops, churches, 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 Gloucester 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 108-step drive on real, named roads (about 39.9 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northwest on Falcon Close.
Falcon Close7 m
Turn left to stay on Falcon Close.
Falcon Close12 m
Turn right to stay on Falcon Close.
Falcon Close69 m
Turn right to stay on Falcon Close.
Falcon Close70 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Merlin Drive.
11 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive221 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive384 m
Turn left onto Welland Road.
Welland Road206 m
Turn right to stay on Welland Road.
Welland Road36 m
Turn left to stay on Welland Road.
Welland Road149 m
Turn right onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive172 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive219 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive130 m
Turn left onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Bristol Road280 m
Turn left onto A430.
A430150 m
Take the exit on the right.
Bristol Road725 m
Turn left.
108 m
Turn left.
10 m
Turn right onto Bristol Road.
Bristol Road591 m
Turn left onto A430.
A430150 m
Turn left onto A38/Cole Avenue. Continue on A38.
A382.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Reservoir Road.
70 m
Exit the roundabout onto Reservoir Road.
Reservoir Road272 m
Turn right to stay on Reservoir Road.
Reservoir Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Tredworth Road.
48 m
Exit the roundabout onto Tredworth Road.
Tredworth Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Wheatstone Road.
Wheatstone Road437 m
Turn left onto Saint Aldwyn Road.
Saint Aldwyn Road23 m
Turn left to stay on Saint Aldwyn Road.
Saint Aldwyn Road99 m
Turn left onto Nelson Street.
Nelson Street194 m
Turn left onto Tredworth Road.
Tredworth Road492 m
Turn left onto Stroud Road/B4072.
Stroud Road1.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A4173.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto A4173.
A41731.2 km
Turn left.
78 m
Turn left.
17 m
Turn right onto Stroud Road/A4173. Continue on A4173.
A41731.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Stroud Road/B4072.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stroud Road/B4072.
Stroud Road901 m
Turn left onto Linden Road.
Linden Road872 m
Turn right onto Seymour Road.
Seymour Road111 m
Turn right onto Balfour Road.
Balfour Road76 m
Turn right onto Bloomfield Terrace.
Bloomfield Terrace121 m
Turn right onto Linden Road.
Linden Road7 m
Turn left onto Wilton Road.
Wilton Road381 m
Turn left onto Tuffley Avenue.
Tuffley Avenue189 m
Turn left onto The Oval.
The Oval210 m
Turn left onto Raikes Road.
Raikes Road174 m
Turn left onto Wilton Road.
Wilton Road164 m
Turn right onto Tuffley Avenue.
Tuffley Avenue471 m
Turn left onto Bristol Road.
Bristol Road1.6 km
Turn left onto A430.
A430150 m
Turn left onto A38/Cole Avenue. Continue on A38.
A382.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A38/Finlay Road.
43 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38/Finlay Road. Continue on A38.
A381.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A38/Eastern Avenue.
48 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38/Eastern Avenue.
A38359 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A38/Eastern Avenue.
30 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38/Eastern Avenue.
A381.2 km
Turn right onto York Road.
York Road225 m
Turn left onto Durham Road.
Durham Road196 m
Turn right onto Wells Road.
Wells Road87 m
Turn right onto Chester Road.
Chester Road241 m
Turn right onto York Road.
York Road289 m
Turn left onto A38/Eastern Avenue.
A381.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A38/Eastern Avenue.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38/Eastern Avenue.
A38353 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A38/Finlay Road.
60 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38/Finlay Road. Continue on A38.
A381.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A38.
54 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38.
A382.0 km
Move left onto A38/Cole Avenue. Continue on A38.
A382.4 km
Enter Waterwells Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Waterwells Drive.
Waterwells Roundabout7 m
Exit the roundabout onto Waterwells Drive.
Waterwells Drive166 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Telford Way.
4 m
Exit the roundabout onto Telford Way.
Telford Way363 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Naas Lane.
7 m
Exit the roundabout onto Naas Lane.
Naas Lane209 m
Enter Naas Lane Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Naas Lane Roundabout68 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Bristol Road1.0 km
Enter Tesco Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Tesco Roundabout70 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Bristol Road1.0 km
Turn left onto A430.
A430150 m
Take the exit on the right.
Bristol Road725 m
Turn left.
108 m
Turn left.
10 m
Turn right onto Bristol Road.
Bristol Road591 m
Continue.
48 m
Take the exit.
A430211 m
Move right onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Bristol Road250 m
Turn right onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive234 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive221 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
20 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive384 m
Turn left onto Welland Road.
Welland Road206 m
Turn right to stay on Welland Road.
Welland Road36 m
Turn left to stay on Welland Road.
Welland Road149 m
Turn right onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive172 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Merlin Drive.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Merlin Drive.
Merlin Drive219 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Falcon Close.
55 m
Exit the roundabout onto Falcon Close.
Falcon Close70 m
Turn left to stay on Falcon Close.
Falcon Close41 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Gloucester · Route 12 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.
Watch for 20 mph zones, crossings and children near 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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 14.8 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, 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.
Greggs
Start near Greggs.
Johnsons Volvo
Continue to Johnsons Volvo.
Hill Stores
Continue to Hill Stores.
New Apostolic Church
Continue to New Apostolic Church.
Tredworth Junior School
Continue to Tredworth Junior School.
Saint Barnabas
Continue to Saint Barnabas.
Saint Luke
Continue to Saint Luke.
Fox & Elm
Continue to Fox & Elm.
Vickeys Hair Fashions
Continue to Vickeys Hair Fashions.
Avenue
Continue to Avenue.
Gloucester Rowing Club
Continue to Gloucester Rowing Club.
Saint Aldate
Continue to Saint Aldate.
Marco's Kebab Van
Continue to Marco's Kebab Van.
Tesco Express
Continue to Tesco Express.
Trinity Baptist Church
Continue to Trinity Baptist Church.
Formula One Autocentres
Continue to Formula One Autocentres.
Bumble Bee
Continue to Bumble Bee.
Haywain
Continue to Haywain.
Friar Tucks
Continue to Friar Tucks.
Khoja Shi'a Muslim Community
Finish back near Khoja Shi'a Muslim Community, completing the loop.
12 roundabouts · 23 turns · 5 sets of lights
13 roundabouts · 12 turns · 5 sets of lights
10 roundabouts · 8 turns · 3 sets of lights
11 roundabouts · 11 turns · 5 sets of lights
This route is 39.9 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Gloucester test centre, not an official DVSA route.