Poole Driving Test Centre
The Poole Driving Test Centre is situated at 4-20 Harwell Road, within the Nuffield Industrial Estate, Poole, Dorset (BH17 0SA). This location is strategically positioned to provide learners with a variety of driving experiences.
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Poole Driving Test Routes
Familiarising yourself with the roads around Poole Test Centre will increase your chance of passing your next driving test. Below are the types of roads and challeges you can expect to encounter around Poole.
Roundabouts
The nearby Fleetsbridge roundabout is a complex roundabout that is often a key part of driving tests, requiring candidates to demonstrate their ability to navigate multi-lane traffic.
High-speed roads
In addition, the A31 serves as a high-speed road that learners may encounter during their test routes, offering experience in handling faster-moving vehicles and higher speed limits.
Planning and Awareness
The test routes also include narrow roads, particularly in residential areas such as Canford Heath, which challenge drivers to maneuver in confined spaces, enhancing their overall driving skills and confidence.
Practice our test routes to gain experience
By spending time practicing on our routes for Poole Test Centre, you'll gain valuable experience navigating the roads most commonly used during driving exams.
This preparation will not only boost your confidence, but also significantly enhance your ability to handle the diverse driving situations that could arise during your test.
Tackling these test routes will give you the edge you need to succeed.
Private Practice Checklist
Before you start private practice with friends or family, there are a few things you MUST do to stay legal.
Supervision
The person supervising you MUST
- be over 21 and have had their license for over 3 years.
- be qualified to drive the type of vehicle you are learning in.
- NOT use their phone while supervising.
- NOT drive you on a motorway.
- NOT accept money for lessons.
Insurance
You MUST have Learner Driver insurance
If practicing in your own car, you will need Learner Driver cover. This type of insurance should cover friends and family.If practicing in a family member or friend's car, you will either need to:- have them add you to their insurance policy as a Learner Driver.
- take out your own short term Learner Driver insurance policy. This type of cover usually lasts days to weeks and allows you to drive in their car.
Viewing the Learner Driver test routes works better as an app. Install the app for the best experience.
Before selecting a route,
make sure you are at the test centre.
Navigate to test centre
Route 1
| Navigation | |
|---|---|
| Head north-west on Harwell Rd towards Nuffield Rd | |
| Turn right onto Nuffield Rd | |
| Turn left onto Hatch Pond Rd | |
| Turn right onto Waterloo Rd/A349 | |
| At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Lower Blandford Rd/B3074 | |
| At Broadstone Roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Higher Blandford Rd/B3074 | |
| Head north-west on Higher Blandford Rd/B3074 towards Widworthy Dr | |
| At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Lockyers Rd | |
| At the roundabout, continue straight onto Wimborne Rd | |
| At Lake Gates, take the 3rd exit onto A31 | |
| Head south-east on A31 towards Merley Roundabout | |
| At Merley Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto A349 | |
| At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Oakley Hill/A349 | |
| Turn left onto Queen Anne Dr/A341 | |
| Head north-east on Magna Rd/A341 | |
| At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Ringwood Rd/A348 | |
| At W Howe Roundabout/Poole Lane Roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on Ringwood Rd/A348 | |
| At Mountbatten Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Ringwood Rd/A3049 | |
| At Alderney Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Canford Way/A3049 | |
| At Mannings Heath Roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Canford Heath Rd/B3074 | |
| Canford Heath Rd/B3074 turns slightly left and becomes Canford Heath Rd/B3074 | |
| Head south-west on Canford Heath Rd/B3074 towards Ashdown Roundabout | |
| At Ashdown Roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Adastral Rd | |
| At the roundabout, continue straight onto Oakdale Rd | |
| At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Dorchester Rd | |
| Turn right onto Wimborne Rd/A35 | |
| Head north-west on Wimborne Rd/A35 towards Daisy Cl | |
| At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Waterloo Rd/A349 | |
| Head north on Waterloo Rd/A349 | |
| Turn right onto Hatch Pond Rd | |
| Turn right onto Nuffield Rd |
Route 2
| Name / Number of Road | Direction |
|---|---|
| Harwell Rd | Head west on Harwell Rd towards Nuffield Rd |
| Nuffield Rd | Turn left onto Nuffield Rd |
| - | Turn left |
| Dorset Way/A3049 | Merge onto Dorset Way/A3049 |
| Dorset Way/A3049 | Keep right to stay on Dorset Way/A3049 |
| Old Wareham Rd/B3061 | At Tower Park Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Old Wareham Rd/B3061 |
| Old Wareham Rd/B3061 | Head north-east on Old Wareham Rd/B3061 towards Wessex Trade Centre |
| Ringwood Rd/B3068 | At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Ringwood Rd/B3068 |
| Ringwood Rd/A3049 | At Alderney Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Ringwood Rd/A3049 |
| Ringwood Rd/A348 | At Mountbatten Roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Ringwood Rd/A348 |
| Ringwood Rd/A348 | At W Howe Roundabout/Poole Lane Roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on Ringwood Rd/A348 |
| Wimborne Rd/A341 | At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Wimborne Rd/A341 |
| Wimborne Rd/A341 | At Kinson Roundabout, take the 3rd exit and stay on Wimborne Rd/A341 |
| Whitelegg Way/A347 | At Northbourne Roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Whitelegg Way/A347 |
| Whitelegg Way/A347 | Head south-east on Whitelegg Way/A347 towards Wimborne Rd |
| Redhill Ave/A347 | At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Redhill Ave/A347 |
| Cherries Dr | Turn left onto Cherries Dr |
| Ensbury Park Rd/A347 | Turn right onto Ensbury Park Rd/A347 |
| Boundary Rd/A347 | Slight left onto Boundary Rd/A347 |
| Boundary Rd/A347 | Head south on Boundary Rd/A347 towards Gorsecliff Rd |
| Wallisdown Rd/A3049 | At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit onto Wallisdown Rd/A3049 |
| Wallisdown Rd/A3049 | At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on Wallisdown Rd/A3049 |
| Alder Rd/A3040 | At Wallisdown Roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Alder Rd/A3040 |
| Alder Rd/A3040 | At Alder Hills Roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on Alder Rd/A3040 |
| Alder Rd/A3040 | Head south-west on Alder Rd/A3040 towards Heather View Rd |
| Ashley Rd/B3061 | At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Ashley Rd/B3061 |
| North Rd | Turn left onto North Rd |
| Danecourt Rd | Turn right onto Danecourt Rd |
| Ringwood Rd/B3068 | At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Ringwood Rd/B3068 |
| Fernside Rd/A35 | Turn right onto Fernside Rd/A35 |
| - | At the roundabout, take the 4th exit |
| Nuffield Rd | Keep left to continue on Nuffield Rd |
| Harwell Rd | Turn right onto Harwell Rd |
Route 3
| Name/ Number of Road | Direction |
|---|---|
| Service Rd | Right |
| Nuffield Rd | Left |
| Hatchpond Rd | End of road right |
| Waterloo Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Gravel Hill | Traffic light ahead, roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Poole Rd | Roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Leigh Rd / Wimborne Rd | Roundabout right 4th exit |
| Ham Lane | Roundabout ahead, roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Ringwood | Roundabout left |
| Wimborne Rd | 11th right |
| East Howe Lane / Leybourne Ave | End of road right |
| Redhill Drive | Right |
| Columbia Rd | Roundabout left |
| Kinson Rd | Mini roundabout ahead, roundabout ahead |
| Alder Rd | Roundabout right 2nd exit, 4th Traffic light right |
| Herbert Ave | Mini roundabout left |
| Ringwood Rd | Roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Old Wareham Rd / Dorset Way | 2nd exit slip road |
| Slip Lane | Roundabout right 5th exit |
| Dorset Way | Left |
| Nuffield Rd | 3rd right |
| Harwell Rd | Left |
Route 4
| Name/ Number of Road | Direction |
|---|---|
| Service Rd | End of road left |
| Nuffield Rd | 3rd left |
| Dorset Rd Slip Rd / Dorset Way | 1st exit |
| Slip Lane | Roundabout right |
| Adastral Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Oakdale Rd | Mini roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Dorchester Rd | Traffic light left |
| Wimborne Rd | Traffic light right, roundabout ahead, roundabout right |
| Towngate Bridge | Roundabout right 4th exit |
| Holes Bay Rd | Roundabout ahead, roundabout left |
| Upton By-Pass | 1st exit |
| Upton Rd | End of road right, End of road right, roundabout right, mini roundabout ahead, roundabout ahead, roundabout left |
| Waterloo Rd | Traffic light ahead, roundabout left |
| Blandford Rd | Roundabout ahead 3rd exit |
| Upper Blandford Rd | Roundabout left |
| Wareham Rd | Mini roundabout left |
| Springdale Rd | End of road Traffic light right |
| Upper Blandford Rd | Roundabout ahead 3rd exit |
| Blandford Rd | Roundabout right 3rd exit |
| Waterloo Rd | 2nd left |
| Hatchpond Rd | End of road right |
| Nuffield Rd | 2nd left |
| Harwell Rd | Left |
Route 5
| Name / Number of Road | Direction |
|---|---|
| Service Rd | End of road left |
| Nuffield Rd | 3rd left |
| Dorset Way | Left |
| Slip Lane | Roundabout right |
| Adastral Rd | Roundabout ahead |
| Oakdale Rd | Mini roundabout right |
| Dorchester Rd | Traffic light left |
| Wimborne Rd | Traffic light ahead |
| Fernside Rd | Traffic light left |
| Ringwood Rd | Roundabout right 3rd exit |
| Danecourt Rd | End of road left |
| North Rd | End of road Traffic light |
| Ashley Rd | Roundabout left |
| Alder Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Kinson Rd | 2nd left |
| Turbary Park Ave | End of road right |
| Poole Lane | End of road left |
| Wimborne Rd | Roundabout left |
| Ringwood Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit, 2 x roundabout ahead, 2 x mini roundabout ahead, roundabout left, Traffic light ahead, 4th right |
| Dorchester Rd | Mini roundabout ahead, Traffic light right |
| Wimborne Rd | Roundabout ahead 3rd exit |
| Waterloo Rd | Right |
| Hatchpond Rd | End of road right |
| Nuffield Rd | 2nd left |
| Harwell Rd | Left |
Route 6
| Name/ Number of Road | Direction |
|---|---|
| Service Rd | End of road right |
| Nuffield Rd | Left |
| Hatchpond Rd | Traffic light ahead, Traffic light left |
| Waterloo Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Wimborne Rd | Traffic light ahead, Traffic light right, roundabout ahead, roundabout left |
| Longfleet Rd | Traffic light right |
| Fernside Rd | 3rd exit |
| Sandbanks Rd / Shore Rd | 18th left |
| Haven Rd | Mini roundabout left |
| Canford Cliffs Rd | Traffic light right |
| Leicester Rd | Left |
| Lindsay Rd | Left |
| Poole Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Ashley Rd | Roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Alder Rd | 2 x Traffic light ahead, 2 x roundabout ahead |
| Kinson Rd | 2 x mini roundabouts ahead, End of road left |
| Wimborne Rd | Roundabout left |
| Ringwood Rd | 3 x roundabout ahead, 2 x mini roundabout ahead, roundabout left, 7th right |
| Dorchester Rd | Mini roundabout ahead, Traffic light right |
| Wimborne Rd | Roundabout right 4th exit |
| Dorset Way | Left |
| Nuffield Rd | 3rd right |
| Harwell Rd | Left |
Route 7
| Name / Number of Road | Direction |
|---|---|
| Service Rd | End of road left |
| Nuffield Rd | 3rd left |
| Dorset Way | Roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Old Wareham Rd | Roundabout left |
| Ringwood Rd | 2 x mini roundabouts ahead, 2 x |
| roundabout ahead, roundabout right 3rd exit | |
| Poole Lane | 2nd right |
| Turbary Park Ave | Mini roundabout right |
| Kinson Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Alder Rd | Roundabout right 2nd exit, 2nd left |
| Winston Ave | Mini roundabout ahead, 2nd right |
| Guest Ave | End of road right |
| Yarmouth Rd | End of road Traffic light left |
| Alder Rd | Roundabout left |
| Ashley Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Poole Rd | Right |
| The Avenue / Pinecliff Rd | Mini roundabout left |
| Haven Rd | End of road right |
| Shore Rd / Sandbanks Rd | Left |
| Parkstone Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit, roundabout right 3rd exit |
| Wimborne Rd | Roundabout ahead |
| Wimborne Rd | Traffic light ahead, roundabout right 4th exit |
| Dorset Way | Left |
| Nuffield Rd | 3rd right |
| Harwell Rd | Left |
Route 8
| Name / Number of Road | Direction |
|---|---|
| Service Rd | End of road left |
| Nuffield Rd | 3rd left |
| Dorset Way | Roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Old Wareham Rd | Roundabout left |
| Ringwood Rd | 2 x mini roundabout right |
| Herbert Ave | End of road left |
| Alder Rd | Right |
| Winston Ave | Mini roundabout ahead, right |
| Guest Ave | End of road left |
| Yarmouth Rd | Roundabout ahead |
| Surrey Rd | Traffic light left |
| Branksome Wood Rd | 3rd Traffic light left |
| Glenferness Ave | 3rd right |
| East Ave | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Wimborne Rd | 3rd Traffic light left |
| Talbot Rd | Roundabout right 3rd exit |
| Talbot Ave | Roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Boundary Rd | Left |
| Redhill Drive | Left |
| Coombe Ave / Leybourne | |
| Ave / East Howe Lane | End of road left |
| Wimborne Rd | 3rd left |
| Kinson Rd | 2nd mini roundabout right |
| Turbary Park Ave | End of road left |
| Poole Lane | Roundabout left |
| Ringwood Rd | 2 x roundabout ahead 2nd exit, roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Canford Way | Roundabout left 2nd exit |
| Dorset Way | Roundabout right 2nd exit, 2nd exit slip lane, roundabout 5th exit, left |
| Nuffield Rd | 3rd right |
| Harwell Rd | Left |
Route 9
| Name / Number of Road | Direction |
|---|---|
| Service Rd | End of road left |
| Nuffield Rd | Left |
| Hatchpond Rd | Traffic light ahead, Traffic light right |
| Waterloo Rd | Traffic light ahead, roundabout left |
| Blandford Rd | Roundabout ahead 3rd exit |
| Upper Blandford Rd | Traffic light left |
| Springdale Rd | Mini roundabout right |
| Wareham Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Lockyers Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Wimborne Rd | Roundabout ahead, roundabout right 3rd exit |
| A31 Major Rd | Roundabout right 2nd exit |
| A349 | Roundabout left |
| Wimborne Rd | Roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Leigh Rd | Traffic light left |
| St Johns Hill | Mini roundabout right 2nd exit |
| Rowlands Hill / Wimborne Rd | End of road right |
| Middlehill Rd | Roundabout right 5th exit |
| Leigh Rd | Traffic light left |
| Ave Rd | End of road left |
| Newborough Rd / Station Rd | End of road left |
| Poole Rd | Roundabout left |
| Oakley Rd / Gravel Hill | Traffic light ahead, 2 x roundabout ahead |
| Waterloo Rd | Traffic light ahead, Traffic light 2nd left |
| Hatchpond Rd | Traffic light ahead, End of road right |
| Nuffield Rd | 2nd left |
| Harwell Rd | Left |
Route 10
| Name / Number of Road | Direction |
|---|---|
| Service Rd | End of road left |
| Nuffield Rd | Left |
| Hatchpond Rd | Traffic light ahead, Traffic light left |
| Waterloo Rd | Roundabout right 4th exit |
| Upton Rd | 2 x roundabout ahead, left |
| Poole Lane | Roundabout left |
| Blandford Rd | Traffic light ahead, mini roundabout left |
| Over Lifting Bridge | Right |
| Bay Hog Lane | Left |
| West St | 2 x Traffic light ahead |
| Towngate Bridge | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Longfleet Rd | Right |
| Elizabeth Rd | Left |
| Parkstone Rd | Roundabout ahead |
| Commercial Rd | Traffic light ahead, 2nd right |
| Station Rd | Mini roundabout left |
| Penhill Rd | Traffic light ahead |
| Leicester Rd | Traffic light ahead, left |
| Lindsey Rd | Left |
| Poole Rd | Roundabout ahead 2nd exit |
| Ashley Rd | Roundabout ahead, left |
| North Rd | 4th right |
| Fernside Rd | Traffic light right |
| Ringwood Rd | Roundabout 1st exit, 3rd left |
| Dorchester Rd | Mini roundabout ahead, Traffic light right |
| Wimborne Rd | Roundabout right 4th exit |
| Dorset Way | Left |
| Nuffield Rd | 3rd right |
| Harwell Rd | Left |
The DVSA no longer release up to date test routes. While the routes may differ from your actual exam, they cover roads commonly used during driving tests. Moreover, Google Maps may suggest faster routes that differ from the test paths. We have made every attempt to mitigate this.