Learning to Drive in Manchester

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.

Manchester’s Driving Test pass rate compared to other cities across the UK is similar to the overall pass rate national average of 50.5%.

The test centres in Manchester are Atherton which has a pass rate of 53.4%, Bolton at 60.1%, Bredbury at 59.8%, Bury at 38.7%, Rochdale at 40.9%, and Sale at 49.2%.

The nearest additional driving test centres for Manchester are in Cheetham Hill with 43.2% and West Didsbury which has a higher pass rate of 50.5%.

Manchester Practical Driving Test Centres

• Atherton, (Manchester), (Wheelchair accessible): Gibfield Park Avenue, Atherton, Manchester, MA0SU
• Bolton, (Manchester), (Wheelchair accessible): Weston Street, Bolton, BL3 2AW
• Bredbury, (Manchester), Lingard Lane, Bredbury, Stockport SK6 2QT
• Bury, (Manchester), Smith Street, Bury, BL9 6HH
• Cheetham Hill, (Manchester), (Wheelchair accessible): Alderglen Road, Cheetham, Manchester M8 0AL
• Rochdale, (Manchester), Room G10, Globe House Business, Moss Bridge Road, Rochdale OL16 5EB
• Sale, (Manchester), Wheelchair accessible): 36 – 38 Poplar Grove, Sale M33 7ER
• West Didsbury, (Manchester), Unit 11, Christie Park, West Didsbury M21 7QY

Manchester Theory Test Centres

• Manchester: Suite 2, Ground Floor, Red Block 5, Universal Square Devonshire Street North, Ardwick, Manchester M12 6JH
• Stockport, Ground Floor, 1 St Peters Square, Stockport SK1 1NZ
• Bolton, Suite 2A, Second Floor, Knowsley House, 4-6 Knowsley Street, Bolton BL1 2AH

Quick Links

• Book your driving test
• Book your Theory Test
• Change your driving test appointment
• Driving test: cars

Manchester – did you know?

1. Manchester was the location for the first splitting of an atom by Ernest Rutherford in 1917.
2. Over 200 languages are spoken in Manchester city. Half of the city’s residents are multilingual and 40% of young people speak more than 1 language.
3. Kellogg’s Breakfast cereal has their largest factory in Manchester. Kellogg’s cereals first came to the UK in 1922 and first began manufacturing them in Manchester in 1938. They are the largest cereal producer in the world today.
4. Manchester University has 25 Nobel Laureates. Most prizes have been awarded for Physics and Chemistry with just two prizes for economics and two for medicine.
5. Manchester was the city where the industrial revolution kicked off. In the early 19^th century, the skyline was dominated with towering mills, warehouses and smoking chimney stacks.
6. The world’s first free public library was in Manchester. Located in Chetham, the library has been running for more than 350 years and originally housed the priests of Manchester’s Collegiate Church.
7. Bedding, towels and other home fabric products are known as ‘Manchester’ in Australia. High street department stores have “Manchester departments” usually located on the same floor as flatware, crockery and other household items.
8. The Romans first named the location of Manchester “Mamucium” which means “breast shaped hills”. Their fort was built in the Castlefield area of today’s city.
9. “Cottonopolis” was the nickname for Manchester in the 1800’s thanks to the booming textiles industry that was a prominent feature of the industrial revolution.
10. The Suffragette movement was founded by Emmeline Pankhurst in Manchester, in 1903. The first meeting was held at Emmeline’s home at 62 Nelson Street and it toady the headquarters for Manchester Women’s Aid.