Near Middlesbrough test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 7 roundabouts, 18 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 31 navigation steps.
This is an independent 56.3 km practice loop near Middlesbrough test centre, taking roughly 45 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 Avenue, Poole Roundabout, Swan's Corner, Tees Dock Road Roundabout and Marton Road Interchange and 1 more named junctions. 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, changing speed limits, residential manoeuvres, busy a-roads, independent driving 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 shops, named junctions, pubs and schools, 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 Middlesbrough 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 95-step drive on real, named roads (about 56.3 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive northwest on Maxwell Road.
Maxwell Road57 m
Turn right onto Sotherby Road.
Sotherby Road691 m
Move right onto Skipper's Lane.
Skipper's Lane556 m
Turn left onto Trunk Road/A1085. Continue on A1085.
A1085616 m
Make a right U-turn at Normanby Road to stay on A1085.
A10851.0 km
Turn right.
58 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit.
47 m
Exit the roundabout.
58 m
Turn left onto A1085.
A10851.0 km
Turn right onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road604 m
Turn right onto The AVenue.
The AVenue78 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto The Avenue.
107 m
Exit the roundabout onto The Avenue.
The Avenue73 m
Turn left onto Lime Road.
Lime Road462 m
Turn left onto Ravensworth Avenue.
Ravensworth Avenue238 m
Turn left onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road922 m
Turn right.
37 m
Turn right.
113 m
Turn right.
36 m
Turn left onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road1.3 km
Turn right onto High Street/B1380. Continue on B1380.
B13801.1 km
Turn left onto Ainstable Road.
Ainstable Road1.6 km
Turn right onto Sunny Field/A171.
Sunny Field416 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit towards Eston.
52 m
Exit the roundabout towards Eston.
Normanby Road254 m
Turn right onto Allendale Road.
Allendale Road481 m
Turn left onto Millbeck Way.
Millbeck Way165 m
Turn right onto Moorbeck Way.
Moorbeck Way214 m
Turn right onto Ainstable Road.
Ainstable Road142 m
Turn right onto Allendale Road.
Allendale Road233 m
Turn right onto Rosewood Close.
Rosewood Close20 m
Turn left.
9 m
Turn left.
32 m
Turn left onto Allendale Road.
Allendale Road252 m
Turn right onto Ainstable Road.
Ainstable Road344 m
Turn left onto Orchard Way/A171. Continue on A171.
A1711.8 km
Enter Swan's Corner and take the 3rd exit onto A1043/Nunthorpe Bypass.
Swan's Corner47 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1043/Nunthorpe Bypass.
A10431.8 km
Enter Poole Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A172/Marton Road.
Poole Roundabout88 m
Exit the roundabout onto A172/Marton Road. Continue on A172.
A1722.7 km
Turn right to take the A174 ramp.
A1746.4 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Teesport/(Middlesbrough)/Grangetown.
45 m
Exit the roundabout towards Teesport/(Middlesbrough)/Grangetown.
A10531.9 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A1053.
37 m
Exit the roundabout onto A1053.
A1053312 m
Enter Tees Dock Road Roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A66/Bolckow Road.
Tees Dock Road Roundabout171 m
Exit the roundabout onto A66/Bolckow Road. Continue on A66.
A662.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Middlesbrough Road.
46 m
Exit the roundabout onto Middlesbrough Road.
Middlesbrough Road467 m
Turn left onto Brunel Road.
Brunel Road329 m
Turn right onto Sotherby Road.
Sotherby Road80 m
Turn left onto Wallis Road.
Wallis Road146 m
Turn right onto Tees Court.
Tees Court100 m
Move right.
43 m
Make a right U-turn.
43 m
Move left onto Tees Court.
Tees Court100 m
Turn left onto Wallis Road.
Wallis Road145 m
Turn left onto Sotherby Road.
Sotherby Road531 m
Turn right onto Queensway.
Queensway288 m
Turn left onto South Bank Road.
South Bank Road454 m
Turn right onto Cargo Fleet Lane/A171.
Cargo Fleet Lane123 m
Enter Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout and take the 1st exit towards The North/Stockton/Middlesbrough Centre/North Ormesby.
Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout2 m
Exit the roundabout towards The North/Stockton/Middlesbrough Centre/North Ormesby.
A661.5 km
Take the Marton Road Interchange exit.
Marton Road Interchange319 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A66/Marton Road Interchange.
188 m
Exit the roundabout onto A66.
A66439 m
Keep right to stay on A66.
A662.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A66.
63 m
Exit the roundabout onto A66.
A662.6 km
Enter Tees Dock Road Roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A66/Bolckow Road.
Tees Dock Road Roundabout116 m
Exit the roundabout onto A66/Bolckow Road. Continue on A66.
A662.6 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A66.
86 m
Exit the roundabout onto A66.
A661.3 km
Enter Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout and take the 1st exit towards Whitby/Guisborough.
Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout79 m
Exit the roundabout towards Whitby/Guisborough.
Cargo Fleet Lane140 m
Turn left onto South Bank Road.
South Bank Road439 m
Turn right onto Queensway.
Queensway288 m
Turn right onto Sotherby Road.
Sotherby Road443 m
Turn right onto Cargo Fleet Lane/A171.
Cargo Fleet Lane629 m
Enter Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout and take the 1st exit towards The North/Stockton/Middlesbrough Centre/North Ormesby.
Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout2 m
Exit the roundabout towards The North/Stockton/Middlesbrough Centre/North Ormesby.
A661.5 km
Take the Marton Road Interchange exit.
Marton Road Interchange319 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A66/Marton Road Interchange.
188 m
Exit the roundabout onto A66.
A66439 m
Keep right to stay on A66.
A662.8 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Middlesbrough Road.
115 m
Exit the roundabout onto Middlesbrough Road.
Middlesbrough Road527 m
Turn left onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road67 m
Turn left onto A66.
A66517 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Middlesbrough Road.
46 m
Exit the roundabout onto Middlesbrough Road.
Middlesbrough Road467 m
Turn left onto Brunel Road.
Brunel Road329 m
Turn right onto Sotherby Road.
Sotherby Road393 m
Turn left onto Maxwell Road.
Maxwell Road51 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Middlesbrough · Route 11 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 Poole Roundabout, Tees Dock Road Roundabout, Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 32.2 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 (30, 40, 50, 60, 70 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.
ATS Euromaster
Start near ATS Euromaster.
Greggs
Continue to Greggs.
Avenue
Continue to Avenue, taking the junction with good observation.
Tesco Express
Continue to Tesco Express.
Ormesby Library
Continue to Ormesby Library.
Pied Piper
Continue to Pied Piper.
Poole Roundabout
Continue to Poole Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Swan's Corner
Continue to Swan's Corner, taking the junction with good observation.
Southern Cross
Continue to Southern Cross.
Budgens
Continue to Budgens.
Tees Dock Road Roundabout
Continue to Tees Dock Road Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
Gateway Buoys
Continue to Gateway Buoys.
Taco Bell
Continue to Taco Bell.
Evans Halshaw Nissan
Continue to Evans Halshaw Nissan.
Marton Road Interchange
Continue to Marton Road Interchange, taking the junction with good observation.
Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout
Continue to Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout, taking the junction with good observation.
S.G. Petch
Continue to S.G. Petch.
Tees Valley College
Continue to Tees Valley College.
Masjid-E-Nomira
Continue to Masjid-E-Nomira.
ST. Peters R.C
Finish back near ST. Peters R.C, completing the loop.
7 roundabouts · 20 turns · 2 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 16 turns · 2 sets of lights
11 roundabouts · 13 turns · 3 sets of lights
7 roundabouts · 12 turns · 2 sets of lights
This route is 56.3 km and takes about 45 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Middlesbrough test centre, not an official DVSA route.