With learner drivers paying £42 million in failed practical driving tests last year, new research has revealed the UK’s test centres with the highest and lowest pass rates.
Find the easiest place to pass your test below. Photo: © Phil Champion (cc-by-sa/2.0)
Where’s the ‘easiest’ place to pass your test?
The top three spots were all taken by rural Scottish towns, with Golspie topping the table first with an 80 per cent pass rate, followed by Mallaig and Ullapool.
It’s also possible that picking a centre with low levels of traffic in the surrounding area could boost your chances of success, with the top ten driving test centres predominantly located in rural locations.
Top ten driving test centres with the highest practical test pass rates
| Centre | Pass rate |
| Golspie, Highland Council | 80% |
| Mallaig, Highland Council | 77% |
| Ullapool, Highland Council | 76% |
| Duns, Scottish Borders | 72% |
| Thurso, Highlands | 71% |
| Kyle of Lochalsh, Highland Council | 71% |
| Llandrindod Wells, Powys | 71% |
| Malton, North Yorkshire | 70% |
| Whitby, North Yorkshire | 70% |
| Orkney, Orkney Islands Council | 70% |
Where’s the ‘hardest’ place to pass your test?
If you’re looking to avoid a dreaded fail, then unsurprisingly the hardest places to pass your driving test are in the UK’s major cities. London takes half of the top spots with the number one place going to Belvedere with a pass rate of just 28 per cent. Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham also featured in the top ten, showing that built-up, traffic-heavy areas prove more difficult for learner drivers.
Top ten driving test centres with the lowest practical test pass rates
| Centre | Pass rate |
| Belvedere, Greater London | 28% |
| Garston, Liverpool | 30% |
| Wanstead, Greater London | 32% |
| Barnet, Greater London | 33% |
| Erith, Greater London | 33% |
| Cheetham Hill, Greater Manchester | 33% |
| Birmingham (South Yardley), West Midlands | 34% |
| Wednesbury, West Midlands | 34% |
| Salford (Fire Station), Greater Manchester | 35% |
| Barking (Tanner Street), Greater London | 35% |
What percentage of learners passed their test in 2016?
Across the UK, just 48 per cent of the 1.3 million practical driving tests that took place resulted in a learner driver being handed a full licence.
However, the pass rate is showing a trending raise, compared with ten years ago when just 44 per cent of learner drivers were successful.
With the average practical driving test costing £62, and more 600,000 failed tests, learners were collectively set back £41.9 million.
Men or women – who got the better pass rate?
Men were more likely to pass their practical driving test last year with a 50 per cent pass rate compared with women who returned a 44 per cent success rate.
However, women were more likely to pass the theory test with 51 per cent against 47 per cent for men.