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Learning to Drive in Durham

The national average driving lessons required to pass the practical driving test is 47 hours with a driving instructor and an additional 22 hours of private practice with a family or friend are recommended.

Durham’s Driving Test pass rate compared to other cities across the UK is higher than the national average sitting at 59.0%.

The test centres in Durham are Durham which has a pass rate of 59.0%, Sunderland with 45.6%, Gateshead with 38.6% and Hartlepool with 60.6%.

The nearest additional driving test centres for Durham are in Gosforth at 45.6%, Darlington at 56.1%, Middlesbrough at 48.5%, and Blyth which has a higher pass rate of 62.4%.

Durham’s Practical Driving Test Centres

  • Blyth, (Durham), Unit 3 Sextant House, Freehold Street, Blyth NE24 3BA
  • Darlington, (Durham), (Wheelchair accessible), DVSA High Point Business Park, Yarm Road, Darlington DL1 4PW
  • Durham, (Durham), 1st Floor Enna House, Whitfield Court Industrial Estate, St Johns Road, Meadowfield DH7 8XL
  • Gateshead, (Durham), Waterside Drive, Dunston, Gateshead NE11 9HU
  • Gosforth, (Durham), Sandy Lane, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE3 5HB
  • Hartlepool, (Durham), Unit 20, Newburn Bridge Industrial Estate, Mainsforth Terrace, Hartlepool TS25 1TZ
  • Middlesbrough, (Durham), (wheelchair accessible), Maxwell Road, Cleveland, Middlesbrough TS3 8TE
  • Sunderland, (Durham), (wheelchair accessible), River Bank Road, North Hylton Road Industrial Estate, Sunderland SR5 3JJ

Durham’s Theory Test Centres

  • Bishop Auckland, (Durham), First Floor, Bishop Auckland Community Partnership, The Four Clocks Centre, 154a Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland DL14 7EH
  • Newcastle, (Durham) Suite B, Hourth Floor, Tyne House, The Side, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3JA
  • Sunderland, (Durham), Unit 1B, Echo 24 Building, West Wear Street, Sunderland SR1 1XD

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Durham – did you know?

  1. Durham’s Cathedral and Castle were among the first locations to be granted World Heritage Site status along with the Taj Mahal and the Palace of Versailles.
  2. A 230 year old silver automated life-size swan plays music each day to visitors on the Bowes Museum in Durham. The silver swan is thought to be the last of its kind from that period.
  3. Durham’s Regatta is older than the famous Henley Regatta, just outside of London. It was founded in 1834 by Durham University. The boat races last for three days and involve teams from the Tyne, Wear and Tees.
  4. Durham’s county amateur football club, West Auckland, won the first World Cup in 1909 against Switzerland’s Winterthur team. They won again in 1911 with an outstanding score of six goals to one. The astonishing success of the football team is told in a movie called “The Captain’s Tale” that was released in 1982.
  5. The recipe for Coleman’s mustard made in Norwich was actually developed in Durham by Mrs Clements who worked at a flour mill in Sadler street. She ground mustard seeds like flour and mixed them into a paste. The recipe gained the approval of King George I, ensuring her success. The recipe was then sold to the Coleman’s in Norwich after Mrs Clements’ daughter married into the Ainsley family.
  6. The main door of Durham’s Cathedral has a knocker in the image of a Sri Lankan lion. Known as the Sanctuary Knocker, any fugitives who held this knocker were given sanctuary from persecution for 37 days after which they were given the choice of facing their accusers or receiving safe passage to the east coast.
  7. Raby Castle’s medieval kitchen was used for cooking and creating meals right up until 1954. The castle remains the private family home for the Vane family and is the recognised seat of power for Lord and Lady Barnard.