Near Middlesbrough test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 5 roundabouts, 16 turns and 3 signalled junctions across 24 navigation steps.
This is an independent 43.5 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 Marton Road Interchange and Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout. 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, pubs, schools and churches, 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 92-step drive on real, named roads (about 43.5 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 Road313 m
Turn right onto Wallis Road.
Wallis Road504 m
Turn left onto Skipper's Lane.
Skipper's Lane120 m
Move left onto Sotherby Road.
Sotherby Road378 m
Turn left onto Wallis Road.
Wallis Road504 m
Turn right onto Skipper's Lane.
Skipper's Lane435 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.
A10851.7 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Trunk Road/A1085.
44 m
Exit the roundabout onto Trunk Road/A1085. Continue on A1085.
A1085791 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Broadway/A1085.
26 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway/A1085. Continue on A1085.
A1085581 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit onto Trunk Road/A1085.
212 m
Exit the roundabout onto Trunk Road/A1085. Continue on A1085.
A1085581 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Broadway/A1085.
32 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway/A1085. Continue on A1085.
A1085270 m
Turn right onto Argyle Road.
Argyle Road254 m
Turn right onto Westcroft Road.
Westcroft Road32 m
Turn left to stay on Westcroft Road.
Westcroft Road221 m
Turn left onto Leighton Road.
Leighton Road26 m
Turn right onto Birchington Avenue.
Birchington Avenue217 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Broadway/A1085.
13 m
Exit the roundabout onto Broadway/A1085. Continue on A1085.
A1085581 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 5th exit onto Trunk Road/A1085.
212 m
Exit the roundabout onto Trunk Road/A1085. Continue on A1085.
A1085581 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Birchington Avenue.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Birchington Avenue.
Birchington Avenue663 m
Turn left onto Stafford Road.
Stafford Road150 m
Turn left onto Shakespeare Avenue.
Shakespeare Avenue60 m
Turn left onto Kingsley Road.
Kingsley Road154 m
Turn right onto Birchington Avenue.
Birchington Avenue504 m
Turn left onto St. George's Road West.
St. George's Road West206 m
Turn left onto St. Patrick's Road.
St. Patrick's Road361 m
Turn right onto Birchington Avenue.
Birchington Avenue773 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Fabian Road.
72 m
Exit the roundabout onto Fabian Road.
Fabian Road846 m
Turn left onto Church Lane.
Church Lane837 m
Turn right onto High Street/B1380. Continue on B1380.
B13802.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto High Street/B1380.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto High Street/B1380.
High Street166 m
Turn left onto Church Lane.
Church Lane318 m
Turn left onto Jubilee Bank.
Jubilee Bank198 m
Move right onto Church Lane.
Church Lane131 m
Turn right onto High Street/B1380.
High Street168 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit towards Eston.
26 m
Exit the roundabout towards Eston.
B13801.7 km
Turn right onto West Street.
West Street100 m
Turn right to stay on West Street.
West Street428 m
Turn left onto Bankfields Road.
Bankfields Road1.1 km
Turn left onto Jubilee Road.
Jubilee Road1.3 km
Turn right onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road1.6 km
Turn right onto A1085.
A1085708 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit.
63 m
Exit the roundabout.
274 m
Turn right onto Church Lane.
Church Lane784 m
Turn left onto Fabian Road.
Fabian Road282 m
Turn left onto Myrddin Baker Road.
Myrddin Baker Road145 m
Turn left onto Barmouth Road.
Barmouth Road206 m
Turn left onto Tawney Road.
Tawney Road108 m
Turn right onto Fabian Road.
Fabian Road76 m
Turn left onto Church Lane.
Church Lane837 m
Turn right onto High Street/B1380. Continue on B1380.
B13802.3 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto High Street/B1380.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto High Street/B1380.
High Street166 m
Turn left onto Church Lane.
Church Lane825 m
Turn left.
123 m
Turn right.
43 m
Turn left onto Church Lane.
Church Lane116 m
Turn left onto Ormesby Bank/A171. Continue on A171.
A171862 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Cargo Fleet Lane/A171.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Cargo Fleet Lane/A171.
Cargo Fleet Lane3.2 km
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 4th exit onto Middlesbrough Road.
151 m
Exit the roundabout onto Middlesbrough Road.
Middlesbrough Road370 m
Turn left onto Old Middlesbrough Road.
Old Middlesbrough Road460 m
Turn right onto Webb Road.
Webb Road291 m
Turn right onto Brunel Road.
Brunel Road243 m
Turn left onto Middlesbrough Road.
Middlesbrough Road376 m
Turn left onto Telford Road.
Telford Road254 m
Turn left onto Sotherby Road.
Sotherby Road92 m
Turn right onto Maxwell Road.
Maxwell Road51 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Middlesbrough · Route 3 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.
Expect busier traffic, pick-ups and pedestrians around these.
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 2.7 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 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.
S. G. Petch
Start near S. G. Petch.
Shoe Zone
Continue to Shoe Zone.
Sandstone Nab
Continue to Sandstone Nab.
Grangetown Primary School
Continue to Grangetown Primary School.
St Hilda
Continue to St Hilda.
Tesco Express
Continue to Tesco Express.
St. Gabriel's RC Church
Continue to St. Gabriel's RC Church.
Heron Foods
Continue to Heron Foods.
Eston Salvation Army
Continue to Eston Salvation Army.
Tiger Inn
Continue to Tiger Inn.
Christ Church
Continue to Christ Church.
Eston Congregational Church
Continue to Eston Congregational Church.
Cleveland Ironstone Eston Mines Obelisk
Continue to Cleveland Ironstone Eston Mines Obelisk.
Progress Schools - Tees Valley
Continue to Progress Schools - Tees Valley.
Ormesby Crossroads
Continue to Ormesby Crossroads.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Continue to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
MKM Middlesbrough
Continue to MKM Middlesbrough.
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.
Burger King
Finish back near Burger King, 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 43.5 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.