Original Published Test Routes
Step-by-step directions for all 7 original DVSA-published routes from Unit 4, Penllyn Workshops, Bala.
S
DTC
Start from test centre
2
Plassey St / Aran St
At end of road, turn left
3
Pensarn Rd
Turn right
4
Stryd Y Fron
Turn left
5
Cae Croes
At end of road, turn right
6
Stryd Y Fron
Turn left
7
Pensarn Rd
Turn left
8
Arenig St
Turn left
9
Castle St
At end of road, turn right
10
Link Rd
At end of road, turn right
11
A4212
Turn left
12
College Rd
At end of road, turn left
13
A4212
Turn right
14
Arenig St
Turn left
15
High St
Turn left
16
Ffrydan Rd
At end of road, turn right
17
A4212
At end of road, turn right
18
Station Rd
Turn left
19
By-Pass B4391
Turn right
20
Lay-By
Turn left
21
B4391
Turn left
22
Tegid St
Turn right
23
School Lane
At end of road, turn left
24
By-Pass
At end of road, turn left
25
High St / Pensarn Rd
Turn left
26
Lay-By
Take the 2nd right
27
A494 Pensarn Rd / High St
Turn right
28
Tegid St
Turn right
29
Plassey St
Turn left
F
DTC
Return to test centre
This route is based on older published data. Get the current verified version on the app — with satnav navigation.
S
DTC
Start from test centre
2
Plassey St / Aran St
Turn right
3
High St / Station Rd / Corwen
Rd
Turn left
4
Llanfor
Turn right
5
Corwen Rd
Turn right
6
A4212
Turn right
7
College Rd
Turn right
8
A4212
Turn right
9
Rhyduchaf Rd
Turn right
10
Village Square
Turn left
11
Rd To Bala
Turn right
12
A4212
Turn right
13
Link Rd
Turn left
14
Castle St
Turn left
15
Arenig St
Turn right
16
Church St
Turn right
17
High St / Pensarn Rd
Turn right
18
Stryd Y Fron
Turn left
19
Cae Croes
Turn right
20
Stryd Y Fron
Turn right
21
A494
Turn left
22
Lay-By
Take the 2nd right
23
A494 High St
Turn left
24
Ffrydan Rd
Turn right
25
A4212
Turn right
26
Station Rd
Turn left
27
By-Pass
Turn right
28
Tegid St
Turn left
29
Plassey St
Turn left
F
DTC
Return to test centre
This route is based on older published data. Get the current verified version on the app — with satnav navigation.
S
DTC
Start from test centre
2
Plassey St / Aran St
Turn right
3
High St / Station Rd
Turn right
4
By-Pass
Turn right
5
School Lane
Turn left
6
Tegid St
Turn left
7
By-Pass
Turn right
8
Factory Rd
Turn right
9
By-Pass
Turn right
10
A494
Turn left
11
Lay-By
Turn right
12
A494
Turn right
13
A4212
Turn right
14
College Rd
Turn left
15
A4212
Turn right
16
Arenig St
Turn right
17
Pensarn Rd
Turn right
18
Stryd Y Fron
Turn left
19
Cae Croes
Turn right
20
Stryd Y Fron
Turn left
21
Pensarn Rd / High St / Station Rd
Turn right
22
By-Pass
Turn right
23
Tegid St
Turn left
24
High St
Turn left
25
Aran St / Plassey St
Turn right
F
DTC
Return to test centre
This route is based on older published data. Get the current verified version on the app — with satnav navigation.
S
DTC
Start from test centre
2
Plassey St / Aran St
At end of road, turn left
3
Pensarn Rd
Turn left
4
Lay-By
Turn right
5
A494 / Pensarn Rd
Turn left
6
Stryd Y Fron
Turn left
7
Cae Croes
At end of road, turn right
8
Stryd Y Fron
At end of road, turn left
9
Pensarn Rd
Turn left
10
Arenig St
Turn left
11
Castle St
Turn right
12
Link Rd
At end of road, turn right
13
A4212
At end of road, turn left
14
College Rd
At end of road, turn left
15
A4212
Turn right
16
Arenig St
Turn left
17
Church St
At end of road, turn right
18
High St
Turn left
19
Tegid St
At end of road, turn left
20
By-Pass
Turn left
21
School Lane
At end of road, turn right
22
Tegid St
At end of road, turn right
23
High St
Turn left
24
Ffrydan Rd
At end of road, turn right
25
A4212
At end of road, turn left
26
A494
Turn left
27
Llanfor
Turn right
28
A494
Turn left
29
By-Pass
Turn right
30
School Lane
Turn right
31
Tegid St
Turn left
32
High St
Turn left
33
Aran St / Plassey St
Turn right
F
DTC
Return to test centre
This route is based on older published data. Get the current verified version on the app — with satnav navigation.
S
DTC
Start from test centre
2
Plassey St / Aran St
At end of road, turn right
3
High St
Turn right
4
By-Pass
Turn right
5
Tegid St
At end of road, turn left
6
High St / Pensarn Rd / A494
Turn right
7
Stryd Y Fron
Turn left
8
Cae Croes
At end of road, turn right
9
Stryd Y Fron
At end of road, turn left
10
Pensarn Rd
Turn left
11
Arenig St
Turn left
12
Castle St
At end of road, turn right
13
Link Rd
At end of road, turn right
14
A4212
Turn left
15
College Rd
At end of road, turn left
16
A4212
Turn right
17
Arenig St
Turn left
18
Church St
At end of road, turn right
19
High St / Pensarn Rd / A494
Turn left
20
Lay-By
Turn right
21
A494 / High St
Turn left
22
Ffrydan Rd
At end of road, turn right
23
A4212
At end of road, turn left
24
Corwen Rd
Turn left
25
Llanfor
At end of road, turn right
26
A494 / Station Rd
Turn left
27
By-Pass
Turn right
28
School Lane
At end of road, turn right
29
Tegid St
Turn left
30
Plassey St
Turn left
F
DTC
Return to test centre
This route is based on older published data. Get the current verified version on the app — with satnav navigation.
S
DTC
Start from test centre
2
Plassey St / Aran St
Turn left
3
Pensarn Rd
Turn right
4
Sryd Y Fron
Turn left
5
Cae Croes
Turn right
6
Sryd Y Fron
Turn left
7
Pensarn Rd / High St / Station Rd
Turn right
8
By-Pass
Turn left
9
Factory Rd
Turn left
10
By-Pass
Turn left
11
Pale Rd
Turn left
12
Llandderfel Rd
Turn left
13
A494 Corwen Rd
Turn right
14
A4212
Turn left
15
Arenig
Turn left
16
High St
Turn left
17
Ffrydan Rd
Turn right
18
A4212
Turn right
19
Station Rd
Turn left
20
By-Pass
Turn right
21
Maes Y Gerrdi
Turn right
22
Tegid St
Turn left
23
High St
Turn left
24
Aran St / Plassey St
Turn right
F
DTC
Return to test centre
This route is based on older published data. Get the current verified version on the app — with satnav navigation.
S
DTC
Start from test centre
2
Plassey St / Aran St
Turn right
3
High St
Turn left
4
Frydan Rd
Turn left
5
A4212
Turn right
6
College Rd
Turn left
7
A4212
Turn left
8
A492
Turn right
9
Llandderfel Rd
Turn right
10
Pale Rd
Turn right
11
B5391
Turn left
12
Tegid St
Turn right
13
Maes Y Gerrdi
Turn left
14
By-Pass
Turn left
15
Station Rd / High St / Pensarn Rd
Turn right
16
Stryd Y Fron
Turn left
17
Cae Croes
Turn right
18
Stryd Y Fron
Turn left
19
Pensarn Rd
Turn left
20
Arenig
Turn right
21
A4212
Turn right
22
Station Rd / High St
Turn left
23
Aran St / Plassey St
Turn right
F
DTC
Return to test centre
This route is based on older published data. Get the current verified version on the app — with satnav navigation.
Route & Road Guide
Road Type Split
Approximate breakdown based on road names and instructions across all 7 routes.
Residential
72%
A-Roads
17%
Town / B-Roads
11%
What to Expect at Bala
- At 55%, the pass rate here is 7.1 points above the national average of 47.9% — making Bala one of the more candidate-friendly centres in the UK.
- These are busy, junction-heavy routes — 27 turns per route on average. There is little breathing room between decisions, so precision and anticipation matter.
- Familiarise yourself with Corwen Rd, School Lane and A494 before your test — they come up repeatedly across the routes and knowing their junctions and speed limits will save you on the day.
- Routes here range from 24 to 34 steps — each has a distinct character, so practising the full set is worth the time.
Tricky Spots on the Bala Test
Junctions and road sections that appear frequently and catch learners out.
1
Frequent Direction Changes in Residential Streets
Expect several lefts and rights in quick succession around Stryd Y Fron, Cae Croes, and Pensarn Road. These narrow residential roads will test your mirror checks, signalling, and ability to stay calm when dealing with oncoming traffic or parked cars.
2
Combining Rural and Town Driving
The routes often include stretches of rural roads like the A4212 and B4391, followed by tighter town driving through areas like Arenig Street and High Street. Be ready to adjust your speed smoothly and look well ahead for changes in road type and traffic flow.
3
Multi-Use Roundabouts and Bypasses
You’ll encounter several link roads and bypass sections such as the A494 and the Corwen Road junctions. These roads can feel fast-paced—stay aware of lane positioning and anticipate early for junctions or changes in speed limits.
4
Hill Starts and Stop Points in Lay-Bys
Most routes include a lay-by on the bypass or A-roads. These spots are commonly used to test your ability to safely stop and move off again, often on a slight incline. Use your handbrake confidently and prepare for a controlled pull-away.
Most Frequent Roads
These roads appear across the most routes — be sure to practise them.
| Road | Routes | Frequency | Typical Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corwen Rd | 2 / 7 | Right turn | |
| School Lane | 4 / 7 | Right turn | |
| A494 | 3 / 7 | Left turn | |
| Church St | 3 / 7 | Right turn | |
| Llanfor | 3 / 7 | Right turn | |
| Plassey St | 3 / 7 | Left turn | |
| Station Rd | 3 / 7 | Left turn | |
| Arenig | 2 / 7 | Left turn | |
| Pale Rd | 2 / 7 | Left turn | |
| Maes Y Gerrdi | 2 / 7 | Right turn |
Bala Test Centre
Address
Bala Driving Test Centre
Unit 4, Penllyn Workshops, Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7SP
Unit 4, Penllyn Workshops, Bala, Gwynedd, LL23 7SP
Phone
Amenities
Disabled Access
Toilets
Tests Offered
Car
Opening Hours
- Mon 8:00–16:00
- Tue 8:00–16:00
- Wed 8:00–16:00
- Thu 8:00–16:00
- Fri 8:00–16:00
- Sat Closed
- Sun Closed
Pass Rate
55.0%
vs 47.9% national average
Waiting Time
wks
Latest DVSA data
Routes Available
7
Car
Avg Route Length
29
Steps (24–34 range)