Greater Manchester · North West
Bury (Manchester) driving test centre
46.3% of car practical tests taken at Bury (Manchester) passed in 2025-26, from 7,024 tests. Pass rates, local road types and how we prepare you for this centre.
Bury (Manchester) pass rates
Pass rate 2025-26
46.3%
3,255 passes
National average
50%
-3.7 points here
Tests conducted
7,024
about 585 a month
Best published year
46.3%
2025-26
7,024 car practical tests were taken at Bury (Manchester) in 2025-26. 46.3% passed, 3.7 percentage points below the national average of 50%. It is up on 2019-20, when 35.4% passed.
Over the published years the rate has moved between 35.4% in 2019-20 and 46.3% in 2025-26, so a single year's figure is a weak guide on its own. In 2025-26 the rate was 48.9% for male candidates and 43% for female candidates. That works out at roughly 585 tests a month, which is what waiting times at Bury (Manchester) depend on more than the pass rate does.
- Bury (Manchester)
- National average
| Year | Tests | Passes | Pass rate | National | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 7,024 | 3,255 | 46.3% | 50% | 48.9% | 43% |
| 2024-25 | 8,136 | 3,275 | 40.3% | 48.7% | 41.5% | 38.4% |
| 2023-24 | 7,743 | 2,959 | 38.2% | 47.9% | 40.8% | 35.1% |
| 2022-23 | 7,925 | 2,923 | 36.9% | 48.4% | 38.9% | 34.4% |
| 2021-22 | 4,454 | 1,717 | 38.5% | 48.9% | 41% | 36% |
| 2019-20 | 5,835 | 2,065 | 35.4% | 45.9% | 39.8% | 31.6% |
Source: DVSA table DRT122A, car practical driving test pass rates by test centre, published on GOV.UK. Figures are financial years running April to March.
Driving out of Bury (Manchester)
Tests from Bury (Manchester) run mostly on one-way gyratory, loading bays and delivery traffic and school-run streets. Those road types sit close together, so several of them can appear in the first ten minutes.
Emerging from side roads with parked cars blocking the view is the recurring test of observation. Expect side-road emergences with restricted visibility from parked cars. Bury (Manchester) covers a wide slice of Greater Manchester, and instructors who teach it weekly know which approach roads back up.
Bury (Manchester) takes candidates from across Greater Manchester, so plenty arrive having learned on a different road mix. That usually shows in the first five minutes of the drive.
Most learners who retake at Bury (Manchester) say the driving was fine and the pressure was not.
Roads you are likely to meet
One-way gyratory
Loading bays and delivery traffic
School-run streets
- Emerging from side roads with parked cars blocking the view is the recurring test of observation.
- Expect side-road emergences with restricted visibility from parked cars.
- Bury (Manchester) covers a wide slice of Greater Manchester, and instructors who teach it weekly know which approach roads back up.
Test routes are no longer published by the DVSA, and examiners vary them. Treat this as a guide to the local road types rather than a route list. Book your test and check availability on GOV.UK.
Where marks are lost at Bury (Manchester)
One-way systems and box junctions
The fault here is almost always a late lane change under pressure, forcing someone else to brake.
How we prepare you for this centre
Local route practice
The last hours of your course are spent on one-way gyratory and loading bays and delivery traffic near the centre, because that is what the examiner will put you on.
One rehearsal, examiner-style
Marked the way an examiner marks it, on a Bury (Manchester) route, with a written debrief of every fault.
All four manoeuvres
Every manoeuvre practised with traffic present, because that is the version that appears on the day.
Test-day rehearsal
Licence and theory certificate checked, show me / tell me covered, and the sat-nav section practised before the day.
Courses that suit test-centre prep
Bury (Manchester) test centre FAQs
What are the test routes like at Bury (Manchester)?
The DVSA stopped publishing official routes, and examiners vary them. In practice, routes from Bury (Manchester) draw on one-way gyratory, loading bays and delivery traffic, school-run streets, so those are the conditions to rehearse rather than a fixed sequence of streets.
What do learners most often fail on at Bury (Manchester)?
one-way systems and box junctions — all of which come directly from the road types on the local network.
Can I take an intensive course and test at Bury (Manchester)?
Yes. We match you with a DVSA approved instructor who teaches on these roads day to day, and we look for the earliest practical slot at Bury (Manchester).
How do I book a practical test at Bury (Manchester)?
Practical tests are booked through GOV.UK with your provisional licence and theory certificate numbers. We can check cancellations for you once your course dates are set.
What happens when I get to Bury (Manchester)?
Arrive with your provisional licence and a car that is legal, insured for the test and has no warning lights showing. We handle that side if you use one of our instructors' cars.
Is Bury (Manchester) an easy test centre?
Pass rates are published by the DVSA, but they say more about the mix of candidates than the difficulty of the routes. Practising the road types above will move your odds more than switching centres.
Not sure how many hours you need?
Answer four quick questions and we will recommend a course based on your experience, not a sales target.