Tolworth driving test centre sits at Douglas House, 1B Douglas Road, Tolworth KT6 7RZ. Pupils ask us for the route list constantly. Here is the honest answer, and something more useful instead.

The DVSA no longer publishes test routes

They were withdrawn deliberately, because learners were memorising them rather than learning to drive. Examiners vary the route, and independent driving means you may be following a sat nav to a destination the examiner chooses on the day.

So no, we cannot give you “the” route. What we can give you is every road it is likely to include.

The roads that come up

Tolworth Roundabout and the A3. The defining feature of this test centre. Multi-lane approach, high-speed joining and exiting. Lane choice must be made early and held.

A240 Kingston Road. Runs down toward Ewell. Changing speed limits, side turnings, and traffic that moves quickly.

Ewell Road and Tolworth Broadway. Parked cars, buses, pedestrians, deliveries. Constant priority decisions and meeting-traffic judgement.

Red Lion Road and the residential grid. Where manoeuvres usually happen, and where observation at junctions gets tested hardest.

Hook Rise and the underpass. Lane discipline and confident merging.

The manoeuvre

You will be asked to do one of: parallel park at the roadside, park in a bay (in or out), or pull up on the right, reverse two car lengths and rejoin. You may also get a controlled stop.

Note that the test centre car park cannot be used for practice, so bay parking has to be rehearsed elsewhere. We do it off-site.

What actually gets marked

Observation at junctions is the most common serious fault nationally, and Tolworth is no different. After that: lane discipline on roundabouts, moving off when it is safe to do so, and speed — too slow as well as too fast.

The better preparation

Rather than route memorisation, get fluent on the types of road above. Then take a mock test on live routes and see what falls out. That tells you more than any route list would.