Near Middlesbrough test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 6 roundabouts, 14 turns and 4 signalled junctions across 23 navigation steps.
This is an independent 46.4 km practice loop near Middlesbrough 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 Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout, Longlands Road and Park Road South. 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, 20 mph zones, 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 named junctions, churches, pubs and shops, 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 101-step drive on real, named roads (about 46.4 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 left onto Sotherby Road.
Sotherby Road218 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 7th exit towards Whitby/Guisborough.
Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout184 m
Exit the roundabout towards Whitby/Guisborough.
Cargo Fleet Lane763 m
Turn right onto Longlands Road/A1085.
Longlands Road1.2 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards Stokesley.
6 m
Exit the roundabout towards Stokesley.
Longlands Road421 m
Enter Marton Road and take the 3rd exit onto Longlands Road/A172.
Marton Road37 m
Exit the roundabout onto Longlands Road/A172.
Longlands Road407 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards North Ormesby.
80 m
Exit the roundabout towards North Ormesby.
A10853.3 km
Turn left onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road753 m
Turn left onto Hampden Street.
Hampden Street200 m
Turn left onto Maxton Road.
Maxton Road245 m
Turn right onto Shinwell Crescent.
Shinwell Crescent88 m
Turn right onto Hampden Street.
Hampden Street397 m
Turn right onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road762 m
Turn right onto Trunk Road/A1085. Continue on A1085.
A10853.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards Stokesley.
6 m
Exit the roundabout towards Stokesley.
Longlands Road421 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Marton Road/A172.
1 m
Exit the roundabout onto Marton Road/A172.
Marton Road118 m
Turn left to stay on Marton Road/A172.
Marton Road233 m
Turn right onto Park Road South.
Park Road South395 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Park Road South.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Park Road South.
Park Road South662 m
Turn left onto Westminster Road.
Westminster Road693 m
Move left onto Cumberland Road.
Cumberland Road67 m
Turn right onto Valley Road.
Valley Road578 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit.
45 m
Exit the roundabout.
39 m
Move left onto Eastbourne Road.
Eastbourne Road175 m
Turn right onto Mulgrave Road.
Mulgrave Road118 m
Turn right onto Rochester Road.
Rochester Road111 m
Turn left onto Southwell Road.
Southwell Road186 m
Turn right onto Cumberland Road.
Cumberland Road361 m
Turn left onto Valley Road.
Valley Road32 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Park Road South.
42 m
Exit the roundabout onto Park Road South.
Park Road South395 m
Turn left onto Marton Road/A172.
Marton Road350 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Longlands Road/A172.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto Longlands Road/A172.
Longlands Road407 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards North Ormesby.
80 m
Exit the roundabout towards North Ormesby.
A10853.3 km
Turn right onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road882 m
Turn left onto Fabian Road.
Fabian Road627 m
Turn right onto Church Lane.
Church Lane398 m
Turn left onto Albert Road.
Albert Road146 m
Turn right onto Westminster Close.
Westminster Close279 m
Turn left onto Bath Road.
Bath Road62 m
Turn left onto Glastonbury Avenue.
Glastonbury Avenue158 m
Turn left onto Exeter Road.
Exeter Road63 m
Turn right onto Westminster Close.
Westminster Close116 m
Turn left onto Albert Road.
Albert Road146 m
Turn right onto Church Lane.
Church Lane398 m
Turn left onto Fabian Road.
Fabian Road627 m
Turn right onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road872 m
Turn left onto Trunk Road/A1085. Continue on A1085.
A10853.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit towards Stokesley.
6 m
Exit the roundabout towards Stokesley.
Longlands Road421 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Marton Road/A172.
1 m
Exit the roundabout onto Marton Road/A172.
Marton Road118 m
Turn left to stay on Marton Road/A172.
Marton Road233 m
Turn right onto Park Road South.
Park Road South395 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Park Road South.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Park Road South.
Park Road South726 m
Turn right onto Linthorpe Road.
Linthorpe Road1.2 km
Turn left onto Borough Road/B1272.
Borough Road199 m
Turn right onto Hartington Road/B1272. Continue on B1272.
B1272525 m
Enter Hartington Interchange and take the 3rd exit onto A66.
Hartington Interchange230 m
Exit the roundabout onto A66.
A661.5 km
Keep right to stay on A66.
A66454 m
Take the Middlehaven Interchange exit.
A66184 m
Turn right onto Borough Road.
Borough Road57 m
Turn right to take the A66 ramp.
A66734 m
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 left to take A172 towards Stokesley.
A1721.0 km
Enter Longlands Road and take the 3rd exit onto A172.
Longlands Road126 m
Exit the roundabout onto A172.
A1721.1 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 left to take A172 towards Stokesley.
A1721.0 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Stokesley.
56 m
Exit the roundabout towards Stokesley.
Longlands Road421 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Marton Road.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Marton Road.
Marton Road725 m
Turn right onto Borough Road.
Borough Road805 m
Turn right to take the A66 ramp.
A66697 m
Enter Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout and take the 5th exit towards Whitby/Guisborough.
Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout183 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 left onto Sotherby Road.
Sotherby Road218 m
Turn right onto Maxwell Road.
Maxwell Road51 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Middlesbrough · Route 20 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 Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout. Get into the correct lane early and check your exit mirror before leaving.
Dual-carriageway join
About 5.8 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, 50 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.
Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout
Start near Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout.
Salvation Army Pallister Park
Continue to Salvation Army Pallister Park.
Buccaneer
Continue to Buccaneer.
Longlands Road
Continue to Longlands Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Bark in Style
Continue to Bark in Style.
Flower Drum
Continue to Flower Drum.
Saint Peter's Catholic College
Continue to Saint Peter's Catholic College.
Kiosk
Continue to Kiosk.
Park Road South
Continue to Park Road South, taking the junction with good observation.
St Joseph’s
Continue to St Joseph’s.
Teesside Hospice
Continue to Teesside Hospice.
St. Andrew's Church
Continue to St. Andrew's Church.
Progress Schools - Tees Valley
Continue to Progress Schools - Tees Valley.
Linthorpe Road Methodist Church
Continue to Linthorpe Road Methodist Church.
Middlesbrough Seventh-day Adventist Church
Continue to Middlesbrough Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Liquor Vaults
Continue to Liquor Vaults.
Zetland
Continue to Zetland.
Odeon
Continue to Odeon.
Stoneacre
Continue to Stoneacre.
Calverts Carpets
Finish back near Calverts Carpets, 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 46.4 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Middlesbrough test centre, not an official DVSA route.