Banbury

Learners heading to Banbury for their driving test can find the local test centre on West Bar Street. This happens to be mere minutes from the town centre, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find. Though this test centre is small, it’s certainly not to be underestimated. You’ll have all of your newfound skills put to the test here. To get ahead and properly prepare for your big day, we recommend that you get to know Banbury a bit better. Read our essential test guide below for directionspass ratestest routes and more!


Address

3 West Bar Street Banbury Oxfordshire OX16 9SD

Tests Offered at Banbury

  • Car
  • Motorcycle module 2
  • ADI part 3

Parking

There are parking spaces available at this centre

Toilets

Male and female toilets are available at this centre

Disabled Access

Arrangements will be made at this test centre if you have a disability

Phone Number

0129 5252083

Check the book your driving test service for availability.

How To Get There

If you’ve not had the chance to look around Banbury test centre just yet, don’t worry about it. It couldn’t be any easier to get there. If you live in Banbury, all you’ve got to do is get onto the A361, follow the B4035 and turn onto West Bar Street. If you don’t live nearby, the vicinity of the A422 and M40 will make it a doddle to get there. If you’re checking out Banbury test centre by yourself, make sure you bring your sat nav and use these directions to make sure you don’t take a wrong turn!

A Bit More About Banbury

Every driving test centre across the UK comes with its own range of challenging road features and traffic systems, and Banbury test centre is no different. With its vicinity to the town centre, you can expect an influx of foot and road traffic during rush hour. It also happens to be close to local schools like Banbury Academy and Wykham Park Academy, meaning you should keep your eyes peeled for pedestrians. The examiner will undoubtedly direct you onto the A361, in order to test your ability to move between different speed systems without breaking the law. (Though the M5 is nearby, it will not feature on your test.) They’ll eventually direct you back to a quieter area in order to test your skills with one of the driving test manoeuvres.

More interested in getting to know about the area of Banbury itself? Read up on these resources:

Banbury Test Route

Unfortunately, no matter how hard you look, you won’t be able to find an exact test route for Banbury test centre. The DVSA stopped publishing test routes in 2010 in an attempt to stop learners from spending half of the test trying to figure out which road was supposed to come next on the route, instead of focusing on the road conditions. Your test route doesn’t have to be a complete mystery, however. You can get a rough idea of which roads are favoured by examiners by watching videos of Banbury test routes on YouTube, or by downloading our sample Banbury driving test routes. Bear in mind that you’ll also get some hands-on experience with the roads likely to show up on your test route if you’re learning with a local ADI.

Banbury Test Pass Rates

Nothing quite fascinates learner drivers as much as driving test pass rates. PassMeFast is very much the same, which is why we’ve taken a deep dive into the DVSA’s latest statistics. From manual vs automatic pass rates to why pass rates are higher at certain test centres, we’ve got it all on our blog. If you’ve not got the time to enjoy our fun stats, however, we’ll give you a quick rundown.

Learners in the UK currently have a 45.9% chance of passing the driving test. If you’re heading to Banbury for your practical, take a look at how learners have fared there in the last five years in the table below...

2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20
51.8% 53.8% 53.1% 52.3% 50.2%

Learners heading to Banbury certainly don’t have anything to complain about! Their pass rates have been well above the national average in the last five years. Very impressive. Of course, as great as this might sound, it’s important that you don’t get too carried away. It doesn’t matter if your test centre has a great pass rate—it’s all down to how you perform on your big day that will determine whether you pass or not.

What If I Can’t Go To Banbury?

There are plenty of reasons as to why a learner might decide to switch test centres, or at least consider it. Whatever the reason, there are plenty of options. If you’re staying in Oxfordshire, then Oxford test centre is closest. If you’re open to heading to Buckinghamshire, then Bletchley test centre is also nearby.

What To Expect On The Day

So your big day has finally arrived! You’ve got one final step to take before you go from student to master. As excited as you might be, we’re willing to bet your nerves are going a bit crazy. If that’s the case, read up on our top tips to relax before your test.

Now, before we get into the nitty gritty of the test format, we have to emphasise the importance of preparation. First, make sure you have your provisional licence before you leave. If you forget it, you won’t be able to sit the test. Second, get to the test centre 10 minutes before your test is due to start. This will give you enough time to park your car, get to the reception area and meet your examiner.

Your practical will then follow this basic format:

  • 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

Once you’ve parked back up at Banbury test centre, the examiner will ask you to turn off the ignition and wait. They will then tot up your driving test faults (if you accumulated any) in order to determine whether you’ve passed or failed. Regardless of the result, you will receive a physical feedback sheet detailing said faults. Or, you’ll be sent an email with the feedback via the driving test app.

But What If I Fail?

No-one ever sets out with the intention of failing. Unfortunately, things don’t always go according to plan. Whether it’s a case of the test day nerves, or a panicked reaction to stalling the car, there are plenty of things that can go wrong in a driving test. Though it can be a disheartening experience, it doesn’t have to mark the end of your driving journey.

If you do end up failing, you need to pick yourself back up and get back behind the wheel. You’re not the first learner to fail, and you certainly won’t be the last. If you’re struggling with a particular area, you might find it worthwhile to take a refresher course before heading back in. Once you’re ready, get PassMeFast to fast-track your test so that you’re not waiting around. To get this booked in, give us a bell on 0333 123 4949, or contact us online.

Improve Your Chances With PassMeFast

Looking to get out on the roads in Oxfordshire? You’ll be pleased to hear that PassMeFast’s intensive and semi-intensive courses are available in your local area! That means you could be a fully qualified driver in a matter of weeks, or even days! If you book a course with us, we’ll start things off by securing you a test date that meets your requirements. Then, we’ll match you up with one of our experienced instructors. They will work with you to fit your lessons in around your schedule, helping you to build up your confidence and muscle memory on the roads around Banbury. In no time at all, you’ll be raring to go!

If you’d like to find out more about our crash courses, simply head on over to our prices page. Alternatively, if you’d like more in-depth information, our driving courses rundown will tell you all you need to know. Once you’ve picked out a course, you can either book in online, or over the phone on 0333 123 4949.

Already got some experience under your belt? Can’t figure out which of our courses is best for you? Not to worry! Give our course recommender tool a whirl and you’ll find out in mere minutes!