Near Middlesbrough test centre
Rated challenging from its real manoeuvre load, 8 roundabouts, 15 turns and 7 signalled junctions across 32 navigation steps.
This is an independent 45.3 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 Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout, Marton Road and Marton Road Interchange. 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 97-step drive on real, named roads (about 45.3 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 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 Lane1.5 km
Turn right onto Homerton Road.
Homerton Road803 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Ormesby Road.
72 m
Exit the roundabout onto Ormesby Road.
Ormesby Road765 m
Turn left onto Longlands Road/A1085.
Longlands Road473 m
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 2nd exit onto Marton Road.
21 m
Exit the roundabout onto Marton Road.
Marton Road725 m
Turn right onto Borough Road.
Borough Road682 m
Turn left to take the A66 ramp towards Middlesbrough Centre/Stockton/Airport.
A66766 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 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.
A66527 m
Turn right onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road569 m
Turn right 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.
A10852.8 km
Turn left onto Ormesby Road.
Ormesby Road411 m
Turn left onto Dorrien Crescent.
Dorrien Crescent170 m
Turn right onto Ormesby Road.
Ormesby Road283 m
Turn left onto Longlands Road/A1085.
Longlands Road473 m
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 Road471 m
Turn right onto Marton Grove Road.
Marton Grove Road530 m
Turn left onto Valley Road.
Valley Road281 m
Turn left onto Bishopton Road.
Bishopton Road319 m
Turn right onto Fairfield Road.
Fairfield Road71 m
Turn left onto Brough Court.
Brough Court44 m
Make a right U-turn to stay on Brough Court.
Brough Court44 m
Turn left onto Fairfield Road.
Fairfield Road138 m
Turn right onto Meadowsweet Lane.
Meadowsweet Lane104 m
Turn left onto Bishopton Road.
Bishopton Road144 m
Turn right onto Valley Road.
Valley Road591 m
Enter Park Road South and take the 2nd exit onto Park Vale Road.
Park Road South29 m
Exit the roundabout onto Park Vale Road.
Park Vale Road853 m
Turn right onto Southfield Road.
Southfield Road41 m
Turn left onto Marton Road.
Marton Road247 m
Turn right onto Borough Road.
Borough Road682 m
Turn left to take the A66 ramp towards Middlesbrough Centre/Stockton/Airport.
A66766 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 right to stay on A66.
A661.3 km
Enter Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout and take the 9th exit onto Works Road/B1513.
Cargo Fleet Lane Roundabout324 m
Exit the roundabout onto Works Road/B1513.
Works Road402 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Dockside Road/B1513.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Dockside Road/B1513.
Dockside Road1.1 km
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Old Station Road/B1513.
44 m
Exit the roundabout onto Old Station Road/B1513.
Old Station Road598 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 4th exit onto A66.
151 m
Exit the roundabout onto A66.
A662.9 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.
A66527 m
Turn right onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road1.5 km
Turn right onto Belmont Avenue.
Belmont Avenue204 m
Turn left onto Kingsway Avenue.
Kingsway Avenue68 m
Turn left onto Park Avenue.
Park Avenue207 m
Turn left onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road1.4 km
Turn left onto Redcar Road.
Redcar Road256 m
Turn right onto Upper Napier Street.
Upper Napier Street184 m
Turn right onto Middlesbrough Road.
Middlesbrough Road240 m
Turn right onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road85 m
Turn left onto Market Street.
Market Street44 m
Turn right onto Miles Street.
Miles Street76 m
Turn right onto Redcar Road East.
Redcar Road East264 m
Turn left onto Victoria Street.
Victoria Street322 m
Turn left onto Hampden Street.
Hampden Street200 m
Turn right onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road976 m
Turn right onto Belmont Avenue.
Belmont Avenue204 m
Turn left onto Kingsway Avenue.
Kingsway Avenue68 m
Turn left onto Park Avenue.
Park Avenue207 m
Turn left onto Normanby Road.
Normanby Road298 m
Turn left onto Trunk Road/A1085.
Trunk Road617 m
Turn right onto Skipper's Lane.
Skipper's Lane555 m
Move left onto Sotherby Road.
Sotherby Road691 m
Turn left onto Maxwell Road.
Maxwell Road51 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Middlesbrough · Route 5 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.
Pedestrian crossings and parked cars are common nearby.
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 13.2 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 (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.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Continue to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Buccaneer
Continue to Buccaneer.
Marton Road
Continue to Marton Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Marton Road Interchange
Continue to Marton Road Interchange, taking the junction with good observation.
Evans Halshaw
Continue to Evans Halshaw.
Ruchi
Continue to Ruchi.
South Bank Mosque
Continue to South Bank Mosque.
Saint Peter's Catholic College
Continue to Saint Peter's Catholic College.
Salvation Army Pallister Park
Continue to Salvation Army Pallister Park.
St Joseph’s
Continue to St Joseph’s.
St Oswald
Continue to St Oswald.
Clareville Common
Continue to Clareville Common.
S.G. Petch
Continue to S.G. Petch.
Evans Halshaw Nissan
Continue to Evans Halshaw Nissan.
Stacie's Grrroomers
Continue to Stacie's Grrroomers.
Masjid-E-Nomira
Continue to Masjid-E-Nomira.
ST. Peters R.C
Continue to ST. Peters R.C.
S. G. Petch
Continue to S. G. Petch.
ATS Euromaster
Finish back near ATS Euromaster, 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 45.3 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.