Near Gloucester test centre
Rated demanding from its real manoeuvre load, 7 roundabouts, 18 turns and 8 signalled junctions across 29 navigation steps.
This is an independent 38.7 km practice loop near Gloucester 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 Waterwells Roundabout and Waterwells Drive. 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 shops, pubs, churches 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 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 119-step drive on real, named roads (about 38.7 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 Road2.7 km
Turn right onto Clifton Road/B4072. Continue on B4072.
B4072240 m
Turn right onto Seymour Road.
Seymour Road600 m
Turn left onto Linden Road.
Linden Road78 m
Turn left onto Bloomfield Terrace.
Bloomfield Terrace121 m
Turn right onto Balfour Road.
Balfour Road225 m
Turn right onto King Edwards Avenue.
King Edwards Avenue86 m
Turn right onto Linden Road.
Linden Road628 m
Turn left onto Bristol Road.
Bristol Road2.0 km
Turn left onto A430.
A4301.7 km
Turn left onto Kingsway.
Kingsway175 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Newhaven Road.
55 m
Exit the roundabout onto Newhaven Road.
Newhaven Road556 m
Enter Telford Way and take the 3rd exit onto Naas Lane.
Telford Way59 m
Exit the roundabout onto Naas Lane.
Naas Lane209 m
Enter Naas Lane Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Naas Lane Roundabout6 m
Exit the roundabout onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Bristol Road395 m
Turn right onto Elmgrove Road East.
Elmgrove Road East202 m
Turn left onto King Close.
King Close35 m
Turn left to stay on King Close.
King Close11 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on King Close.
King Close11 m
Turn right to stay on King Close.
King Close35 m
Turn right onto Elmgrove Road East.
Elmgrove Road East202 m
Turn right onto Bristol Road/B4008.
Bristol Road680 m
Turn right.
69 m
Turn right onto A38.
A38661 m
Enter Waterwells Roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A38.
Waterwells Roundabout25 m
Exit the roundabout onto A38.
A382.3 km
Move right to stay on A38.
A382.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Stroud Road/B4072.
16 m
Exit the roundabout onto Stroud Road/B4072.
Stroud Road901 m
Turn left onto Linden Road.
Linden Road685 m
Turn left onto Bowly Road.
Bowly Road199 m
Turn left onto Raikes Road.
Raikes Road83 m
Turn left onto The Oval.
The Oval107 m
Move left onto King Edwards Avenue.
King Edwards Avenue99 m
Turn right onto Linden Road.
Linden Road156 m
Turn right onto Rosebery Avenue.
Rosebery Avenue363 m
Turn left onto Lewisham Road.
Lewisham Road74 m
Turn left onto Kitchener Avenue.
Kitchener Avenue278 m
Turn right onto Ladysmith Road.
Ladysmith Road79 m
Turn right onto Calton Road.
Calton Road298 m
Turn right onto Lewisham Road.
Lewisham Road156 m
Turn right onto Rosebery Avenue.
Rosebery Avenue263 m
Turn right onto Ladysmith Road.
Ladysmith Road152 m
Turn left onto Calton Road.
Calton Road104 m
Turn left onto Linden Road.
Linden Road307 m
Turn left onto King Edwards Avenue.
King Edwards Avenue99 m
Move right onto The Oval.
The Oval317 m
Turn right onto Tuffley Avenue.
Tuffley Avenue189 m
Turn left onto Podsmead Road.
Podsmead Road978 m
Turn right to stay on Podsmead Road.
Podsmead Road206 m
Turn right onto Epney Road.
Epney Road174 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto Epney Road.
80 m
Exit the roundabout onto Epney Road.
Epney Road174 m
Turn left to stay on Epney Road.
Epney Road78 m
Turn left onto A38/Cole Avenue.
A38993 m
Stay straight to take the ramp.
Cole Avenue96 m
Turn right onto A430.
A43089 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.
A4302.7 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 2nd exit onto Waterwells Drive.
40 m
Exit the roundabout onto Waterwells Drive.
Waterwells Drive651 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Waterwells Drive.
113 m
Exit the roundabout onto Waterwells Drive.
Waterwells Drive654 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Telford Way.
79 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 16 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.
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
Watch your lane discipline and signalling at Waterwells Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 10.0 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.
Subway
Start near Subway.
Avenue
Continue to Avenue.
City Church Gloucester
Continue to City Church Gloucester.
New Testament Church of God
Continue to New Testament Church of God.
Saint Stephen
Continue to Saint Stephen.
Gloucester Rowing Club
Continue to Gloucester Rowing Club.
Pets at Home
Continue to Pets at Home.
Quedgeley Methodist Church
Continue to Quedgeley Methodist Church.
Hardwicke Stores and Post Office
Continue to Hardwicke Stores and Post Office.
Waterwells Roundabout
Continue to Waterwells Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Johnsons Volvo
Continue to Johnsons Volvo.
Saint Barnabas
Continue to Saint Barnabas.
Calton Primary School
Continue to Calton Primary School.
Alders Clinic
Continue to Alders Clinic.
Formula One Autocentres
Continue to Formula One Autocentres.
Lidl
Continue to Lidl.
Bumble Bee
Continue to Bumble Bee.
Waterwells Drive
Continue to Waterwells Drive, taking the junction with good observation.
Haywain
Continue to Haywain.
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 38.7 km and takes about 40 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Gloucester test centre, not an official DVSA route.