Near Shirley test centre
Rated moderate from its real manoeuvre load, 10 roundabouts, 10 turns and 1 signalled junction across 23 navigation steps.
This is an independent 32.6 km practice route near Shirley 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 Marshall Lake Road, Monkspath Hall Road, Highlands Road and Charles Road. 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 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 pubs, named junctions, shops 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 Shirley 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 121-step drive on real, named roads (about 32.6 km). An indicative practice loop, not an official DVSA route — the roads and junctions are real, the sequence is a rehearsal.
Drive west.
144 m
Turn right.
15 m
Turn right onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34140 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34547 m
Turn right onto Solihull Road.
Solihull Road233 m
Turn right onto Wayfield Road.
Wayfield Road159 m
Turn right onto Moorlands Drive.
Moorlands Drive191 m
Turn right onto Fieldon Close.
Fieldon Close152 m
Turn left onto Longmore Road.
Longmore Road556 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Longmore Road.
9 m
Exit the roundabout onto Longmore Road.
Longmore Road316 m
Turn right onto Blossomfield Road/B4102. Continue on B4102.
B4102408 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Marshall Lake Road/B4102.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Marshall Lake Road/B4102.
Marshall Lake Road39 m
Turn left onto Cranmore Road.
Cranmore Road98 m
Turn left onto Avon Road.
Avon Road211 m
Turn right onto Conway Road.
Conway Road143 m
Turn right onto Clinton Road.
Clinton Road161 m
Turn right onto Shakespeare Road.
Shakespeare Road199 m
Turn right onto Avon Road.
Avon Road109 m
Turn left onto Conway Road.
Conway Road99 m
Turn left onto Marshall Lake Road/B4102.
Marshall Lake Road138 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Marshall Lake Road/B4102.
15 m
Exit the roundabout onto Marshall Lake Road/B4102.
Marshall Lake Road39 m
Turn left onto Cranmore Road.
Cranmore Road426 m
Turn right onto Cranmore Boulevard.
Cranmore Boulevard426 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
99 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road. Continue on A34.
A34388 m
Enter Stratford Road and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
Stratford Road25 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road. Continue on A34.
A34407 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34529 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34547 m
Turn right onto Solihull Road.
Solihull Road23 m
Turn right.
77 m
Turn right.
11 m
Turn left onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34468 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34529 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34402 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Blackford Road/B4102.
53 m
Exit the roundabout onto Blackford Road/B4102.
Blackford Road539 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Tanworth Lane/B4102.
39 m
Exit the roundabout onto Tanworth Lane/B4102.
Tanworth Lane195 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Tanworth Lane/B4102.
41 m
Exit the roundabout onto Tanworth Lane/B4102.
Tanworth Lane1.7 km
Turn left onto Watery Lane.
Watery Lane472 m
Turn right onto Vicarage Road.
Vicarage Road503 m
Move right to stay on Vicarage Road.
Vicarage Road40 m
Turn left onto Salter Street/B4102.
Salter Street30 m
Turn left onto Vicarage Road.
Vicarage Road2.1 km
Turn left onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34349 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
9 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road. Continue on A34.
A34495 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
47 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road. Continue on A34.
A34458 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
59 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road. Continue on A34.
A34388 m
Enter Stratford Road and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
Stratford Road25 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road. Continue on A34.
A34407 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
19 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34529 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34547 m
Turn right onto Solihull Road.
Solihull Road23 m
Turn right.
77 m
Turn right.
11 m
Turn left onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34468 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
35 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34529 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
29 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34402 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road. Continue on A34.
A34381 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
45 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34459 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto A34/Stratford Road.
46 m
Exit the roundabout onto A34/Stratford Road.
A34482 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Monkspath Hall Road.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Monkspath Hall Road.
Monkspath Hall Road146 m
Keep right to stay on Monkspath Hall Road.
Monkspath Hall Road73 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 3rd exit onto Monkspath Hall Road.
68 m
Exit the roundabout onto Monkspath Hall Road.
Monkspath Hall Road209 m
Turn right onto Thornton Road.
Thornton Road395 m
Turn left onto Hay Lane.
Hay Lane449 m
Turn left onto Monkspath Hall Road.
Monkspath Hall Road661 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Highlands Road.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Highlands Road.
Highlands Road703 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Highlands Road.
23 m
Exit the roundabout onto Highlands Road.
Highlands Road689 m
Turn left onto Cranmore Boulevard.
Cranmore Boulevard205 m
Turn right onto Cranmore Road.
Cranmore Road425 m
Turn right onto Marshall Lake Road/B4102.
Marshall Lake Road38 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Marshall Lake Road/B4102.
38 m
Exit the roundabout onto Marshall Lake Road/B4102. Continue on B4102.
B4102409 m
Turn right onto Widney Lane.
Widney Lane232 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Widney Lane.
5 m
Exit the roundabout onto Widney Lane.
Widney Lane770 m
Turn left onto Whitefields Road.
Whitefields Road335 m
Turn left onto Dingle Lane.
Dingle Lane666 m
Turn right onto Blossomfield Road/B4102.
Blossomfield Road900 m
Turn left onto Alderbrook Road.
Alderbrook Road208 m
Turn left onto White House Way.
White House Way381 m
Turn right onto Blossomfield Road/B4102.
Blossomfield Road1.0 km
Turn right onto Charles Road.
Charles Road95 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Charles Road.
31 m
Exit the roundabout onto Charles Road.
Charles Road348 m
Turn left onto Witherford Croft.
Witherford Croft349 m
Enter the roundabout and take the 1st exit onto Charles Road.
13 m
Exit the roundabout onto Charles Road.
Charles Road348 m
Turn right onto Witherford Croft.
Witherford Croft93 m
Turn right onto Yoxall Road.
Yoxall Road375 m
Turn right onto Brentford Road.
Brentford Road85 m
Turn right onto Rowden Drive.
Rowden Drive262 m
Turn right onto Willow Road.
Willow Road85 m
Turn left onto Yoxall Road.
Yoxall Road439 m
Turn right onto Longmore Road.
Longmore Road187 m
You have arrived at your destination.
Directions for the Shirley · 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.
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
Approach in the correct lane, signal on the exit before yours, and keep checking your mirrors as you leave.
Dual-carriageway join
About 10.7 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 (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.
Plume of Feathers
Start near Plume of Feathers.
Strawberry Fields
Continue to Strawberry Fields.
Ale Hub Micropub
Continue to Ale Hub Micropub.
Marshall Lake Road
Continue to Marshall Lake Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Ginger Blue
Continue to Ginger Blue.
Salon 2 sixty
Continue to Salon 2 sixty.
Mad Hatters Day Nursery
Continue to Mad Hatters Day Nursery.
Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church
Continue to Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic Church.
Caspian Pizza
Continue to Caspian Pizza.
Shirley Motor Company Ltd
Continue to Shirley Motor Company Ltd.
Active Angles
Continue to Active Angles.
Birmingham Audi
Continue to Birmingham Audi.
Lexus Solihull
Continue to Lexus Solihull.
Monkspath Hall Road
Continue to Monkspath Hall Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Highlands Road
Continue to Highlands Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Johnsons
Continue to Johnsons.
Space Station Self Storage
Continue to Space Station Self Storage.
Wolseley
Continue to Wolseley.
Charles Road
Continue to Charles Road, taking the junction with good observation.
Klippers
Finish back near Klippers, completing the loop.
7 roundabouts · 8 turns · 2 sets of lights
9 roundabouts · 8 turns · 1 set of lights
4 roundabouts · 17 turns · 1 set of lights
4 roundabouts · 14 turns · 1 set of lights
This route is 32.6 km and takes about 35 min to drive at a steady learner pace. It is an independent practice loop near Shirley test centre, not an official DVSA route.