Hastings (Ore)

Situated in a relatively busy industrial estate, Hastings test centre is only a fifteen minute drive from the town centre. It can be found on Ivyhouse Lane, just near The Ridge B2093 and Stalkhurst Caravan Park. Though you won’t have much time to appreciate it, the test centre also happens to be pretty close to the local beach. Instead of daydreaming about sunbathing (when UK weather actually complies, of course), you should familiarise yourself with Hastings. You can do so by reading our essential test centre guide below—featuring directionspass ratestest routes and much more!


Address

Brookway Business Park, Ivy House Ore Hastings East Sussex TN35 4NN

Tests Offered at Hastings (Ore)

  • Car
  • Motorcycle module 1
  • Lorries, large vehicles and buses

Parking

Keep to the one way system around the building and follow directions to designated parking bays. You're not allowed to practice on the site.

Toilets

Toilets available

Disabled Access

Phone Number

0142 4422560

Check the book your driving test service for availability.

How To Get There

If you’re heading to the test centre from Hastings, get onto Old London Road A259. Next, turn onto B2093 and drive until you reach Ivyhouse Lane. Easy peasy! Learners who aren’t so centrally located don’t have to despair too much—there are plenty of nearby A roads like the A21 and A229. If you’re desperate to have a look around Hastings test centre before your first driving lesson, you’ll want to make sure you end up at the right place. So, dig out your trusty sat nav and simply follow these directions.

A Bit More About Hastings

Though you might not think it, the location of Hastings test centre was carefully chosen by the DVSA to ensure it offered enough variety in regards to road features and systems. So, what does this mean for learners heading here for their test? For starters, the even mix of residential roads and A roads like the A259 means you’ll have to be comfortable moving through different speed systems. You’ll need to be accustomed to dealing with heavy congestion, as it’s likely you’ll be taken through the centre of Hastings. The vicinity of Conquest Hospital and train stations like Ore and West St Leonards also means your observations must be up to snuff, in order to spot foot and road traffic.

Looking for other information regarding Hastings? We’re way ahead of you! Check out the resources below.

Hastings Test Route

In an effort to make the driving test more realistic, the DVSA stopped publishing driving test routes in 2010. As such, you won’t be able to find up-to-date routes for Hastings test centre. Of course, if you’ve had lessons in the local area, you shouldn’t have to worry. Your driving instructor will make sure you’re familiar with the roads likely to feature on the route. Plus, you can get a rough idea of what could show up by watching videos of Hastings test routes on YouTube, or by downloading our sample Hastings driving test routes.

Hastings Test Pass Rates

Been worrying about your chances of passing the driving test? You’re not the only learner driver to do so. It’s why driving test pass rates are so sought-after. It’s also why we try to stay up-to-date with the latest statistics from the DVSA. With that in mind, we’ll divulge some interesting stats…

Learners located in the UK stand a 45.9% chance of passing the driving test. This, of course, will start to differ depending on the county you live in. (You can get a better look at this in our map of pass rates by county.) As for those putting their mettle to the test at Hastings, you can get pass rates from the last five years below…

2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
46.1% 47.1% 44.0% 42.5% 43.1%

As you can see, pass rates at Hastings test centre have rested above and below the national average in recent years. Not too shabby! While this is interesting, you shouldn’t depend on them as a concrete measure of how successful you’ll be. It’s how hard you work in your driving lessons and how well you impress the examiner that will have you passing the practical with flying colours.

What If I Can’t Go To Hastings?

Perfect test dates can be difficult to find, especially if you’re insistent on passing by a certain date. One of the best ways to increase your chances of finding an ideal date is by picking a backup test centre. If you’re looking to stick to the East Sussex area, your nearest test centre is Eastbourne.

What To Expect On The Day

From the moment you first started looking into learning to drive, everything has been leading you up towards this final step: taking the driving test. This 40 minute assessment will determine whether you truly are ready to get your full licence. Despite how monumental this might seem, however, it’s important to remember that it is achievable. So, try not to put too much pressure on yourself! You might find the whole situation more comfortable if you bring your instructor with you.

As eager as you might be to get to the test centre, you need to triple-check that you’ve got your provisional. The examiner will want to give it a check before you take your practical, so there’s no way you can avoid bringing it. You need to get to Hastings 10 minutes before your test is due to start.

The format of the practical is simple enough. It will consist of:

  • An eyesight test, where you’ll need to read a number plate from a distance of 20 metres
  • Two “show me, tell me” questions covering vehicle safety and maintenance
  • Twenty minutes of general driving, where you’ll be guided by the examiner, and will also need to perform one of the following manoeuvres:
  • Twenty minutes of independent driving, during which you’ll either follow sat nav directions or sign posts to reach a set destination

Much like any of your past driving lessons, your driving test will fly by in no time. It will officially be at an end once you’ve parked back up at Hastings and stopped the car. You’ll need to be patient for a few minutes, as the examiner will need to complete their feedback form. Once they’ve done so, they’ll give you your result. They’ll also give you a list of any driving test faults you accumulated with a feedback sheet. Alternatively, they’ll email you the sheet through the driving test app.

But What If I Fail?

As much as we’d like to offer you a guaranteed pass, they don’t actually exist. Some learners fly through their test first time and others need more than one attempt to get it just right—it’s that simple. Though it can be upsetting to fail your test, there’s nothing stopping you from trying again. If you think you need to work on refining your driving style before you head back in, why not try out a refresher course?

If you don’t fancy waiting ages to get a test date, you might want to give PassMeFast a nudge. We can fast-track your test, all the while meeting your test centre preferences and availability. To get this sorted today, give us a call on 0333 123 4949. Alternatively, you can contact us online.

Improve Your Chances With PassMeFast

If you’re determined to cross learning to drive off your to-do list, one of the best ways to do so is by taking an intensive or semi-intensive course. Instead of taking lessons that are weeks apart, your lessons will last between 2 to 5 hours. Doing so will enable you to build up your driving experience, muscle memory and confidence over a shorter period of time—without impacting your learning experience at all. If you opt to learn with PassMeFast, you’ll be put in charge of the intensity and pace of your lessons. You’ll work with your PassMeFast instructor to fit lessons in on the approach to your test date.

Want to give our flexible approach a try? Get started by having a gander at our crash course packages on our course prices page. Take some time to read through the descriptions and, once you’re ready, book your chosen course online. If you’d prefer to chat to one of our sales advisors for further information, give us a ring on 0333 123 4949.

Stuck between courses? Answer a few questions and our course recommender will give you your ideal PassMeFast course!