Learning to drive in Solihull: the local guide

Solihull is not Manchester, and it's not Birmingham either. It has more cars per household than most of England, the country's first smart motorway on its doorstep, an airport and the NEC inside its borders, and a test centre with one of the best pass rates in the region. Here is what that means for learning to drive here — with every figure sourced.

A borough of drivers

At the 2021 Census, Solihull Council reports that just 18% of households — about 15,750 — had no car or van, compared with roughly 23.5% across England. North Solihull has more households without a car than the south. With a median age of 43, Solihull is older than England as a whole, and 16–24 year olds make up about 9% of residents. Most young people grow up in car-owning households — which means more chances for private practice between lessons.

The roads that shape Solihull drivers

• The A34 Stratford Road — Shirley's high street and the backbone of Shirley test routes.
• The A41 Warwick Road — through Olton and Solihull town centre.
• The A45 Coventry Road — fast dual carriageway to the airport and NEC, and on Garretts Green and South Yardley routes.
• The M42 — junctions 4 (Shirley/Blythe Valley), 5 (Solihull) and 6 (NEC/airport). The stretch from 3a to 7 was the UK's first Active Traffic Management pilot in 2006.

20mph in Solihull

Solihull adopted a new speed-limit policy in July 2022, prioritising 20mph limits around schools, retail centres and village centres, and continues a rolling programme of school 20mph limits. Expect them near schools in places like Chelmsley Wood and Dorridge — and expect examiners to notice if you miss one.

Birmingham's Clean Air Zone doesn't apply in Solihull

Birmingham's Clean Air Zone covers roads inside the A4540 Middleway ring road only. Non-compliant cars pay £8 a day there; Solihull roads aren't affected. Our lesson cars are compliant anyway.

Roadworks: M42 junction 6 and HS2

National Highways' M42 junction 6 improvement and the HS2 Interchange station (between the M42, A45 and A452) mean changing layouts and temporary limits around the NEC and airport. TfWM now expects HS2 services to start between 2029 and 2033.

Theory and practical tests

Solihull's theory test centre closed in August 2011 — take your theory test in Birmingham or Coventry. For the practical, Shirley is the borough's only centre and had the area's highest pass rate in 2024-25. See all options in our comparison.

Jobs that need a licence

JLR's Solihull plant on Lode Lane — its largest, covering about 300 acres and building Range Rover and Discovery models — plus the airport, the NEC, Resorts World and Blythe Valley Park are major employers. Many shifts start before buses run.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• ONS — How Solihull has changed (Census 2021)
• Solihull Council — The Story of Solihull 2023
• ONS — Housing, England and Wales: Census 2021 (car availability)
• Solihull Council — speed limit policy review
• Solihull Council — Road safety strategies
• Solihull Council — Birmingham Clean Air Zone
• Brum Breathes — Clean Air Zone charges
• National Highways — M42 junction 6 improvement
• TfWM — Interchange and M42 J6 works
• GOV.UK — Solihull theory test centre to close (2011)
• JLR — where we are (Solihull)
• passrates.uk — Birmingham (Shirley) test centre, 2024-25

Published by SQ Driving School, a brand owned and managed by DriveSQ. Checked on 16 October 2026. Rules, fees and test centres change — always confirm on GOV.UK before you book.