Best & Worst Driving Test Centres in North West England
The North West takes in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Cheshire and Cumbria — a mix of busy city centres and quieter Cumbrian and Cheshire towns. Across the 31 North West England test centres, car pass rates ranged from 37.8% to 69.6% in April 2025 to March 2026.
Quick answer: In North West England, Barrow In Furness is the easiest by pass rate (69.6%) and Norris Green (Liverpool) the hardest (37.8%). The national average is 50.0%.
Centres
31
Pass-rate range
37.8%–69.6%
Mean of centres
51.1%
Tests conducted
246,014
All 31 North West England test centres, ranked
Highest pass rate first. Each centre links to its full breakdown.
| # | Test centre | Pass rate | Tests | UK rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barrow In Furness | 69.6% | 1,699 | 14 / 317 |
| 2 | Kendal (Oxenholme Road) | 65.1% | 2,231 | 27 / 317 |
| 3 | Workington | 61.9% | 2,998 | 41 / 317 |
| 4 | Heysham | 59.2% | 3,692 | 57 / 317 |
| 5 | Carlisle | 58.7% | 3,518 | 66 / 317 |
| 6 | Northwich | 57.6% | 3,529 | 74 / 317 |
| 7 | Southport (Liverpool) | 56.5% | 7,949 | 91 / 317 |
| 8 | Preston | 56.3% | 9,194 | 96 / 317 |
| 9 | Bredbury (Manchester) | 56.0% | 10,636 | 99 / 317 |
| 10 | Warrington | 55.5% | 7,550 | 106 / 317 |
| 11 | Wallasey | 54.3% | 968 | 118 / 317 |
| 12 | Chorley | 52.8% | 5,415 | 148 / 317 |
| 13 | Macclesfield | 51.9% | 4,509 | 164 / 317 |
| 14 | Bolton (Manchester) | 51.8% | 11,570 | 165 / 317 |
| 15 | Blackpool | 51.8% | 8,948 | 166 / 317 |
| 16 | Nelson | 51.7% | 5,955 | 170 / 317 |
| 17 | Sale (Manchester) | 51.4% | 10,921 | 176 / 317 |
| 18 | Rochdale (Manchester) | 48.3% | 11,563 | 228 / 317 |
| 19 | West Didsbury (Manchester) | 47.7% | 17,806 | 235 / 317 |
| 20 | Chester | 47.3% | 9,212 | 241 / 317 |
| 21 | Chadderton | 46.8% | 15,988 | 247 / 317 |
| 22 | Blackburn with Darwen | 46.6% | 12,205 | 251 / 317 |
| 23 | Bury (Manchester) | 46.3% | 7,024 | 257 / 317 |
| 24 | Cheetham Hill (Manchester) | 44.7% | 10,207 | 274 / 317 |
| 25 | Carlisle LGV (Cars) | 44.7% | 47 | 275 / 317 |
| 26 | Atherton (Manchester) | 44.3% | 13,035 | 278 / 317 |
| 27 | Crewe | 43.8% | 4,994 | 281 / 317 |
| 28 | Widnes | 42.7% | 6,846 | 289 / 317 |
| 29 | St Helens (Liverpool) | 40.9% | 14,174 | 300 / 317 |
| 30 | Speke (Liverpool) | 40.5% | 8,159 | 304 / 317 |
| 31 | Norris Green (Liverpool) | 37.8% | 13,472 | 311 / 317 |
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Frequently asked questions about driving test centres in North West England
Which is the easiest driving test centre in North West England?
By pass rate, Barrow In Furness is the easiest place to pass in North West England, with a car practical pass rate of 69.6% for April 2025 to March 2026 (DVSA table DRT122A). It ranks 14 of all UK centres. A higher local pass rate usually reflects quieter roads, not an easier exam.
Which is the hardest driving test centre in North West England?
Norris Green (Liverpool) has the lowest car practical pass rate in North West England at 37.8% for April 2025 to March 2026. Every examiner marks to the same national standard, so a lower rate reflects busier or more complex local roads rather than a tougher test.
What is the average driving test pass rate in North West England?
Across the 31 DVSA car test centres in North West England, pass rates ranged from 37.8% to 69.6% for April 2025 to March 2026. The simple mean of these centres is 51.1% — 1.1 points above the national average of 50.0%. (This mean is a GeraRide calculation across the listed centres, not an official regional figure.)
How many driving test centres are there in North West England?
This page covers 31 DVSA car practical test centres located in North West England, which together conducted 246,014 tests in April 2025 to March 2026. Centres are grouped by the region their town sits in; all pass-rate figures are exactly as published by the DVSA in table DRT122A.
Source: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), table DRT122A — Driving test and theory test data (cars). Reporting period April 2025 to March 2026. Retrieved 2026-06-25. Centres are grouped into North West England by the location of each test centre’s town; the mean is a GeraRide calculation across the listed centres, not an official regional figure. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.