Birmingham revealed as hardest place to pass your driving test first time

Over the years, the practical driving test has gone through changes to ensure it represents the conditions new drivers will face in their daily driving.

The latest changes came in 2017 and saw the introduction of sat-navs, longer independent driving and the removal of manoeuvres like the three-point turn.

Since these changes, the number of learner drivers passing first time has decreased by 9.4% – so, does this mean those changes have made it harder for learners to pass first time?

Vehicle finance provider Moneybarn analysed car driving tests across the nation, revealing which areas have the highest and lowest pass rates at the first attempt.

Kendal (Oxenholme Road) takes the number one spot, with almost 64% of all first attempt driving tests resulting in a pass. Yeovil (62.6%), Dorchester (62.6%), Northallerton (61.3%) and Ipswich (61.2%) complete the top five.

Abergavenny and Barry are the best places to take your test in Wales, placing seventh and eighth overall and boasting a 59.4% first-time driving test pass rate.

Areas in Scotland miss out on the top 10, with Aberdeen North (56.1%) and Dundee (55.9%) placing 18^th and 19^th overall.

In contrast, Birmingham fairs poorly, with its South Yardley centre claiming the bottom spot. Birmingham (South Yardley) has the lowest first-time pass rate, with just 32.2% of learners passing first time. This is over 14% lower than the national average.

However, this may not surprise locals, as some of Birmingham’s roads are among Britain’s most dangerous. Transport for West Midlands even recently won over £2.6 million on behalf of Birmingham City Council to tackle congestion on some of the region’s biggest roads.

Two London test centres – Erith (32.3%) and Belvedere (32.4%) – and two Manchester test centres – Bury (32.5%) and Rochdale – complete the bottom five centres with the lowest first-time pass rates.

Overall, it seems tests conducted in busy urban areas are proving harder for new drivers to pass first time, compared with those in quieter rural towns.

This is likely due to the fact these test centres are in more congested areas, where there is a higher likelihood of busy junctions, traffic and difficult road intersections to navigate.

Moneybarn also analysed the number of first-time driving tests resulting in a pass with zero faults. South Shields is top of the pile, with almost 10% of all learners passing first-time with no faults. Farnborough, Hither Green, Middlesbrough and Winchester complete the top five.  

Workington and Wrexham test centres are tied for bottom spot, with none of their learners passing first time without faults. Birmingham (Kings Heath), Bury, Manchester and Leeds complete the bottom five test centres.

Control (steering), junctions (observation) and turning right are the top three most common reasons drivers fail their practical test**. So, if you’re booking in your practical driving test soon, it’s worth practising these manoeuvres to increase your chances of passing first time with zero faults.

Tim Schwarz, Head of Marketing at Moneybarn, commented on the findings:

“Even though the pass rate has decreased over 9% since the practical test changes introduced in 2017, it simply goes to reinforce the government’s commitment to improving road safety.

“Changing the practical driving test not only boosts new drivers’ abilities to drive safely and responsibly, but it also ensures they have a good understanding of the rules of the road.”

To view the full analysis and to see if driving tests are getting harder, please click here.