Key points
- Birmingham (Shirley): 401 Stratford Road (A34), Shirley, Solihull B90 4AA.
- Pass rate 58.1% (2024-25, about 9,600 tests).
- Reported routes use Stratford Road and Marshall Lake Road and Cranmore Road.
- Routes aren't published β prepare for the road types.
Shirley is the only DVSA car test centre inside the borough of Solihull β and in the 2024-25 test year it had the highest pass rate of any Birmingham-area centre, 58.1%, nearly ten points above the UK average. It sits on the A34 Stratford Road in Shirley, and almost every reported route spends time on that road.
Shirley driving test centre pass rate
Birmingham (Shirley) car pass rate β 2024-25, about 9,600 tests.
9.4 points above the UK average of 48.7% for the same year. Source: passrates.uk β Birmingham (Shirley) test centre, 2024-25. Official figures: DVSA1203.
Shirley driving test routes: the roads
Routes start with a service road onto the A34 and then mix the busy Stratford Road corridor with Monkspath's modern estates and roundabouts, residential Shirley, and the lanes towards Dickens Heath. Expect lots of roundabouts β large ones on the boulevards and mini-roundabouts in the estates.
The DVSA no longer publishes test routes and examiners vary them. These roads are the ones reported most often on public route sheets for Birmingham (Shirley), cross-checked between sources.
Stratford Road
On 13 of 15 routes in one public route collection. Busy, with bus stops, frequent side roads, shops and roundabouts β mirrors and lane discipline all the way.
Marshall Lake Road and Cranmore Road
Reported early on routes β residential and industrial traffic near the A34.
Cranmore Boulevard
Consistently reported as a left at a roundabout. Wide boulevard where speed can creep up.
Monkspath Hall Road
Usually an early left turn on reported routes, leading into Monkspath's estates.
Dog Kennel Lane
Appears as a roundabout exit or an end-of-road junction depending on the route.
Highlands Road
A roundabout followed by a mini-roundabout β take each one separately.
Dickens Heath Road and Tanworth Lane
Lanes towards Dickens Heath and Hillfield: bends, changing speed limits and parked cars near the village.
Union Road and Shirley Park Road
Reported as roundabout-heavy β signals and lane choice matter.
Blackford Road, Bills Lane, Widney Lane and Haslucks Green Road
Residential roads on reported routes β junction observations, parked cars and manoeuvres.
Landmarks near Shirley test centre
Common mistakes at Shirley
Lane discipline on the A34
Multi-lane approaches to roundabouts and lights along Stratford Road.
Read lane arrows early and stay in your lane all the way through.
Buses pulling out
Bus stops line Stratford Road.
Check mirrors, anticipate the bus indicating, and give way where it's safe.
Speed on the boulevards
Wide roads like Cranmore Boulevard tempt learners over the limit.
Check every limit sign; wide road doesn't mean faster limit.
Roundabout then mini-roundabout
Treating Highlands Road's pair as one junction.
Deal with each: look right, give way, signal if needed.
Bends towards Dickens Heath
Entering bends too fast on the lanes.
Brake before the bend, steer through, gently accelerate out.
Who tests at Shirley?
Solihull learners from Shirley, Monkspath, Dickens Heath, Cheswick Green, Hillfield, Solihull town centre, Olton, Knowle, Dorridge, Hockley Heath and Hall Green commonly book here. You can book any centre, but since June 2026 a booked test can only move to one of the three centres nearest it. Compare every option in our Solihull test centres comparison.
How we prepare you for Shirley
Road types first
Roundabouts, dual carriageways and busy high streets on quieter Solihull roads.
The roads around Shirley
In the final weeks we drive the roads above, at the time of day of your test.
Mock test
Marked like the DVSA sheet and logged in your DriveSQ Student Portal.
Warm-up on the day
A lesson that ends at the test centre.
SQ Driving School is part of DriveSQ
Lessons in Solihull are run by SQ Driving School and DriveSQ together β the same instructors, prices and Student Portal. More from DriveSQ:
- DriveSQ driving school in Solihull β Meet the DriveSQ Solihull team, the Student Portal and how lessons work.
- Solihull driving test pass rates 2026 β Every test centre near Solihull ranked, with what the numbers mean.
- Driving instructor jobs in Solihull β Teach with DriveSQ: pupils matched by postcode, Instructor Portal.
DriveSQ Student Portal
Every SQ Driving School learner β in Solihull as well as Greater Manchester β gets the DriveSQ Student Portal free, so you always know exactly how close you are to test standard.
- 23 driving skills tracked after every lesson
- Theory library and 50-question mock tests
- Test-readiness checklist and instructor messaging
DriveSQ Instructor Portal
DriveSQ is growing in Solihull and taking on more ADIs. New learners are matched to you by postcode, and your whole diary runs in the DriveSQ Instructor Portal.
- New Solihull learners matched by postcode
- Bookings, progress and messaging in one place
- Part of DriveSQ β an established Manchester driving school
Frequently asked questions
Where is Shirley driving test centre?
What is the pass rate at Shirley driving test centre?
What roads are on Shirley driving test routes?
Do you offer lessons for a test at Shirley?
Sources
- passrates.uk β Birmingham (Shirley) test centre, 2024-25
- passrates.uk β UK driving test pass rate 2024-25
- DVSA β Car driving test data by test centre (DVSA1203)
- GOV.UK β Find a driving test centre
- GOV.UK β Book your driving test
Published by SQ Driving School, a brand owned and managed by DriveSQ. Checked on 16 October 2026. Rules, fees and test centres change β always confirm on GOV.UK before you book.