Driving Lessons Sunderland

Learning to Drive in Sunderland

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.

Sunderland’s Driving Test pass rate compared to other cities across the UK is lower than the national average sitting at 45.6%.

The test centres in Sunderland are North Hylton Road Industrial Estate which has a pass rate of 45.6%, Gateshead at 38.6%. Hartlepool at 60.6% and Gosforth at 45.6%.

The nearest additional driving test centres for Sunderland are in Durham with 59.0%, Blyth with 62.4% and Middlesbrough which has a lower pass rate of 48.5%.

Sunderland Practical Driving Test Centres

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

Sunderland Theory Test Centres

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

Quick Links

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

Sunderland – did you know?

1. Sunderland is the only non-capital city that is twinned with America’s capital, Washington D.C. It is also where America’s first president, George Washington’s ancestors hark from. Washington Old Hall was home to several generations of Washingtons.
2. Sunderland Empire theatre is said to be haunted by the ghost of Sid James, the comedic actor. Les Dawson refused to play there after a particularly spooky experience in the dressing room the dead actor occupied on the night of his death.
3. Sunderland was home to one of the few survivors of the Titanic. Charles Wilhelm was a glassblower on his way to start a new life in the United States when his ship sank causing him to rethink his plans and return to live in Sunderland.
4. The mother of Butch Cassidy, the outlaw from America’s Wild West, came from Sunderland. She lived at 50 Dundas Street in Monkwearmouth. The location is now a bus depot.
5. St Peter’s Monastery in Sunderland is where the first ever stained glass window was made in England, over two thousand years ago.
6. The first city to be home to a Japanese car manufacturer’s factory was Sunderland. Nissan began operations in the city back in 1986 and today employs more than 6,000 people in the city. They’re the largest car producer in the UK.
7. It may only be remembered as Dr Who’s preferred method of travel today, but Sunderland was the first city to get a police box. The blue boxes worked much the same as red telephone boxes, expect members of the public could only contact the police from the telephone inside.
8. Since 2014, Sunderland has been hosting a Short Film Festival. It was developed in collaboration with DC shorts and inspired by Washington D.C.’s film festival. It attracts film makers from all over the world.
9. Despite Sunderland as a settlement dating back beyond the 670s, Sunderland is omitted from the Domesday Book. You will, however, find mention of this city in the lesser-known Bolden Book of 1183 shortly after it became an official settlement.
10. A Sunderland footballer, Stefan Schwarz, was banned from going to space by his sponsors. His football contract included a clause stating his position with the team would be terminated if he undertook space travel.