Blyth Driving Test Routes
Drive 27 current car and ADI test routes with the #1 test routes app!
PRACTISE SMART
Practise smart by driving real Blyth driving test routes with satnav navigation.
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Example Test Routes
Route 1 Instructions:
- Depart from the Driving Test Centre and turn right
- On Percy Street, at the end of the road turn left
- On Bridge Street / Waterloo Road, at the roundabout take the 3rd exit (right)
- On Renwick Road, at the roundabout take the 1st exit (left)
- On Albion Way, at the roundabout go straight ahead
- On Malvins Close, take the 2nd left
- On Brierley Road, at the end of the road turn left
- On Tynedale Drive, turn left
- On Swaledale Avenue, at the end of the road turn left
- On Tynedale Drive, at the traffic lights turn left
- On Cowpen Road, at the roundabout go straight ahead, then at the next roundabout take the 1st exit (left)
- On Spine Road, turn left
- On Shoes Slip Road, at the roundabout take the 1st exit (left)
- On the A192, at the roundabout take the 1st exit (left)
- On Laverock Hall Road, at the roundabout take the 1st exit (left)
- On the B1523, at the roundabout go straight ahead
- On Newcastle Road, at the roundabout take the 3rd exit (right)
- On Plessey Road, at the roundabout take the 1st exit (left)
- On The Broadway, turn right
- On Kingsway, take the 2nd left
- On Cypress Gardens, at the end of the road turn right
- On Princess Dawn Road, turn left
- On Winchester Street, at the end of the road turn left
- On Princess Louise Road, cross the 2nd junction
- On Croft Road, take the 4th left
- At Marine Terrace crossroads, turn right
- On Wolsely Road, at the traffic lights turn right
- On Waterloo Road / Bridge Street, turn right
- On Percy Street, turn left
- Return to the Driving Test Centre
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Depart from the Driving Test Centre and turn left
On Percy Street, turn right
On Carlton Street, turn left
On Beaconsfield Street, turn right
On Auldborough Street, continue straight ahead
On Collingwood Terrace, at the end of the road turn left
On Cypress Gardens, at the end of the road turn right
On Princess Louise Road, turn left
On Jubilee Road, at the end of the road turn right
On Kingsway, at the end of the road turn left
On The Broadway, at the roundabout take the 3rd exit (right)
* Updated, complete route available on the app.
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Depart from the Driving Test Centre and turn right
On Percy Street, at the end of the road turn left
On Bridge Street / Waterloo Road, at the roundabout take the 3rd exit (right)
On Renwick Road, at the roundabout take the 1st exit (left)
On Albion Way, at the roundabout take the 1st exit (left)
On Ford Drive, turn right
On Ogle Drive, turn left
On Middle Row, turn left
On Southend Avenue, at the end of the road turn right
On Newsham Road, turn left
* Updated, complete route available on the app.
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Depart from the Driving Test Centre and turn right
On Percy Street, at the end of the road turn right
On Bridge Street, at the first roundabout turn right, then go straight ahead at the next
On Ridley Avenue, turn left
On Park View, at the end of the road turn left
On Wensleydale Terrace / B1329, at the roundabout go straight ahead
On South Newsham Road, at the roundabout go straight ahead
On Laverock Hall Road, at the roundabout take the 1st exit (left)
* Updated, complete route available on the app.
Average Length: 8.7 miles
Based on 24 variations in the app
Average Duration: 39 minutes
The Range of Roads
Few test centres of Blyth's size pack in as much variety. Here's the spread of road environments the routes take you through.
Dual carriageway — the A189 Spine Road
Several routes use the A189 Spine Road, a fast dual carriageway that runs through the area. Joining via the Shoes Slip Road, maintaining speed with traffic and positioning correctly for your exit requires a different level of composure than the town centre sections. It's one of the most significant stretches on any route that includes it.
Main connector roads
Laverock Hall Road, Cowpen Road, Plessey Road and Newcastle Road are the main arteries linking different parts of Blyth and its surrounding areas. These are busier, higher-speed roads with frequent roundabouts — particularly Laverock Hall Road, which features several in close succession.
Town centre
Bridge Street, Waterloo Road and the area around Percy Street bring you into the heart of Blyth, where traffic lights, buses, pedestrians and tighter lanes all require attention. The pace slows significantly compared to the outer roads, and your observation will be tested closely.
Coastal and residential areas
Routes that extend toward Marine Terrace take you close to the seafront — roads that can be affected by wind exposure and often have parking on both sides. The residential estate sections through Kingsway, Princess Louise Road, Cypress Gardens and Ogle Drive are quieter but test precise control.
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“Passed first time! Practicing the routes really helped!”
Sections That Catch People Out
Blyth's route variety is its main challenge. These are the specific points where preparation makes the biggest difference.
Laverock Hall Road's roundabout sequence
Laverock Hall Road appears on the majority of routes, and nearly every time it involves navigating a series of roundabouts in relatively quick succession. Getting the exits right — particularly when approaching from the A192 — requires advance knowledge of which exit you're taking. First-time drivers on this road often hesitate or take the wrong exit.
Joining the A189 Spine Road
The Shoes Slip Road onto the A189 is one of the more demanding moments. Merging onto a fast dual carriageway requires building speed on the slip road, checking mirrors and blind spots, and committing to a gap in traffic — all while the examiner is watching.
Bridge Street and Waterloo Road — the town centre transition
Coming off faster outer roads and into the town centre requires a genuine gear change in your mindset. Traffic lights, bus stops, pedestrians crossing, and lanes that narrow without warning all compress into a relatively short stretch.
The Percy Street start and finish
Most routes begin and end via Percy Street, and the very first junction — turning right from the test centre — sets the tone. It's a moment when nerves are highest, and examiners know it. The same junction is often encountered again on the return, which means a clean, composed approach both times is important.
Manoeuvres — What You're Likely to Be Asked
One manoeuvre will feature somewhere in your test. Based on what the Blyth routes cover, here are the most likely types and where they tend to happen.
- Pulling up on the right and reversing — The residential streets around Kingsway, Princess Louise Road or the roads off Plessey Road are the most realistic settings — quiet enough for a safe reverse, enough space to pull up without blocking traffic.
- Bay parking — The test centre has parking available, making a bay park on return a genuine possibility. Both forward and reverse bay parks can be requested, so be sure to practise both.
- Emergency stop — Most likely on the lower-speed residential sections rather than the main connector roads or the A189. Estate roads off Cowpen Road or around the Kingsway area provide the right conditions for an unannounced stop.
Driving the routes in advance means you'll instinctively recognise the quieter stretches — so when the examiner calls for a manoeuvre, your mind is clear and focused.
All 27 Blyth Routes Ready to Practise
Every current route is in the app — from the residential streets near the test centre to Laverock Hall Road, the A189 Spine Road and the town centre sections on Bridge Street and Waterloo Road. Turn-by-turn satnav directions guide you through each one, available on both iPhone and Android.
iOS App
Download from the App Store and use Mapbox-powered navigation to follow each route. Works seamlessly with CarPlay if you want to run the directions through your car's screen.
Android App
Available on Google Play and compatible with Android Auto — so you can follow the routes with directions displayed on your dashboard rather than your phone.
Blyth Driving Test Centre
Blyth Test Centre is in the town centre, with Percy Street as the immediate departure point for almost every route. The location puts you straight into live traffic conditions from the moment the test begins — there's no warm-up lap before the examiner starts watching.
Pass rate — just above the national average of 47.9%, making it a fair centre for a well-prepared driver.
Average wait — broadly in line with the national average of 14.8 weeks, so typical availability applies.
Unit 3 Sextant House, Freehold Street, Blyth Northumberland NE24 3BA
Parking available at or close to the test centre
Toilets and disabled access provided
gov.uk/book-driving-test or call 0300 200 1122
FAQs
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Not all of them — the A189 features on a significant number of routes but not every one.
That said, you should treat it as something you'll almost certainly encounter, and practise those specific routes until the slip road join and dual carriageway sections feel natural.
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Routes are updated using live GPS recordings from real tests, supplemented by feedback from ADIs active in the Blyth and wider Northumberland area.
When road layouts change or routes are modified, the app is updated accordingly.
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It's a fair centre — the pass rate sits just above the national average — but the range of road types does demand genuine versatility.
The shift between residential streets, the town centre and the A189 within a single route means you need to be comfortable across very different driving environments, not just one.
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It's worth doing at least some practice during busier periods — the town centre on Bridge Street and Waterloo Road feels very different in morning traffic compared to a quiet afternoon.
Cowpen Road and Newcastle Road can also get congested at peak times.