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Car Test Centre, England

Atherton (Manchester) Driving Test Centre

Car, Cat BAthertonM46 0DUTougher than average

The Atherton (Manchester) driving test centre is located in Atherton, England (M46 0DU). Below are the official pass-rate statistics, multi-year trend, demographic breakdown, and how this centre compares against the UK average and its neighbours, all drawn from the DVSA quarterly statistical release.

By VikasReviewed by VikasMethodologySources
Pass rate (2024-25)
44.4%
vs 48.7% UK avg
Tests in period
7.7K
2024-25
National rank
#275
of 323 centres
1st-time pass
43.9%
below UK avg

Pass vs fail at a glance

44.4%passed
failed51.7%

33.3K passed, 35.7K failed, 68.9K total

How Atherton (Manchester) compares

Atherton (Manchester)
44.4%
UK national average
48.7%
Difference
-4.3 pp

Atherton (Manchester) has a slightly tougher pass rate than the UK average. Routes here may be more demanding than rural centres.

Where Atherton (Manchester) ranks among 323 centres

Top 16%
Atherton (Manchester) sits in the bottom quarter of car pass rates
Rank
#275
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

Most common faults at this centre

The fault categories most frequently recorded against learners on test. Knowing them lets you target practice on the things examiners are most likely to penalise.

  1. 1Junctions - observation10
  2. 2Mirrors - change direction9
  3. 3Move off - safely8
  4. 4Junctions - turning right7
  5. 5Response to signs - traffic lights6

Per-centre fault breakdowns are derived from the DVSA national fault distribution applied to centre-level test outcomes.

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rate gap 4.8 pp
Male50.7%
0%UK avg 49.7%100%
Female45.9%
0%UK avg 44.0%100%
Zero faults0.4%
391 candidates passed without a single recorded fault

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
22 weeks
Very high demand
Weekly capacity
~180
estimated test slots per week
Trend
worsening
availability direction

Wait times at Atherton (Manchester) have been lengthening as demand outpaces examiner capacity. Booking requires patience: learners booking at Atherton (Manchester) typically wait around 22 weeks from booking to test day.

Peak months
June, July, August, September
longest waits in Atherton
Best to book
November, December, January, February
shortest expected waits

Wait time is estimated from regional demand patterns reported in the National Audit Office investigation into car driving test waiting times (Dec 2024) and the DVSA Despatch blog updates, combined with this centre's test volume. Real availability fluctuates with examiner staffing and cancellations, always check the official DVSA booking service for live slots.

Centre details

Address

Gibfield Park Avenue
Atherton
Manchester
M46 0SU
England

Source: DVSA find a driving test centre (Open Government Licence v3.0), captured 2026-05-12.

Tests offered at Atherton (Manchester)

  • car
  • motorcycle module 1 (off-road)
  • motorcycle module 2 (on-road)
  • lorry and bus
  • ADI part 2
  • ADI part 3

Accessibility & facilities

Wheelchair accessible per DVSA

Parking and toilet details aren't included in DVSA's published feed. For the current on-site facilities, check the DVSA find a driving test centre tool with postcode M46 0SU, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Atherton (Manchester) is one of the DVSA's car test sites in England, located in Atherton, Greater Manchester at M46 0DU. The choice of routes reflects the local mix of road types rather than any standard national template. By volume, Atherton (Manchester) is at the upper end of the DVSA's network. With 68.9K tests across 2017-18-2024-25, the figures on this page are about as statistically settled as DVSA data gets.

Atherton (Manchester) runs close to the national curve: 44.4% pass rate, 4.3 points below the UK average of 48.7%. The rank is #275 of 323 car centres. First-attempt pass rate at Atherton (Manchester): 43.9%, against 49% nationally. That's 5.1 points below the UK average. Many candidates need a second go, and route familiarity is the most consistent thing that improves the second attempt.

All figures shown are aggregated from the DVSA quarterly statistical release covering the most recent reporting periods available. Pass-rate calculations exclude tests cancelled by the candidate or examiner. Sample sizes and methodology are described in the source attribution at the foot of this page.

Country
England
Test category
Car
DVSA centre ID
atherton-manchester

What learners should know about Atherton (Manchester)

  • Centre difficulty is roughly average at Atherton (Manchester). The same fault categories that fail candidates nationally (junctions, mirrors, observation) are what fail candidates here, in similar proportions.
  • Atherton (Manchester) is a high-volume centre. Booking pressure is real, check the DVSA cancellation feed daily for earlier slots rather than relying on the headline available date.
  • Practising the test routes is the single thing that most reliably moves a candidate's pass odds. Most ADI instructors in Atherton will have a working knowledge of which routes Atherton (Manchester) uses.
  • If you missed the earlier slots at Atherton (Manchester), the DVSA's official cancellation pool refreshes constantly. Check at off-peak times (early morning, late evening) for better odds.

Other test centres nearby

Atherton (Manchester)
9.5K tests, Rank #63
67%
Atherton (Manchester)
8.8K tests, Rank #156
60.8%
Atherton (Manchester)
31.9K tests, Rank #127
52.5%
Bolton (Manchester)
104.4K tests, Rank #89
56.7%
Apex (Peterborough)
3.3K tests, Rank #120
61.5%
Warrington
59.0K tests, Rank #99
55.3%
See all centres in Atherton→Easiest UK centres→Hardest UK centres→Best for first-time pass→Busiest UK centres→

On the day at Atherton (Manchester)

Arrive at Atherton (Manchester) with about ten minutes to spare and know your parking options in advance, they vary site to site across the DVSA network. The DVSA centre finder (postcode M46 0DU) maps the centre and its surroundings. With very high demand and waits near 22 weeks, take any earlier slot the booking service offers rather than holding out. Don't set off without your provisional photocard licence; the test cannot start without it, and your car needs L plates and a working interior mirror. If Atherton (Manchester) is fully booked, Atherton (Manchester) is the next closest centre, roughly 1 mile away.

The test runs for around 40 minutes and follows the same DVSA format used at every centre. The examiner checks your eyesight at 20 metres, asks one show-me and one tell-me question, then sits in for the drive. About 20 minutes of it is independent driving, either following a sat nav the examiner sets up or following road signs to a named place. You will do one of four set manoeuvres, and roughly one in three candidates is asked to perform an emergency stop. The drive works through whatever mix of urban and outlying roads sits within about a twenty-minute radius, and at a centre this busy that usually means heavier traffic to read. Across recent DVSA marking, the fault logged most often at this centre is junctions - observation, worth drilling on the local routes before your date.

You will know the result before you leave Atherton (Manchester). The examiner explains the faults marked on your DL25 feedback form and, if you have passed, takes the provisional licence so a full one can be posted out. The pass standard is fixed nationally, 15 driving faults maximum and zero serious or dangerous faults, and 44.4% of candidates here meet it under current DVSA marking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Atherton (Manchester)?
The current pass rate at Atherton (Manchester) driving test centre is 44.4%, calculated from 7.7K tests in 2024-25. The first-time pass rate, candidates passing on their initial attempt, is 43.9%. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 48.3% (from 68.9K tests).
Is Atherton (Manchester) an easy or hard test centre?
Atherton (Manchester) is ranked #275 of 323 UK car test centres by pass rate, placing it in the bottom quarter of car pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 44.4% compares to a UK average of 48.7%. Higher pass rates often correlate with quieter rural or suburban routes; lower rates with dense urban centres featuring complex junctions and multi-lane roundabouts.
How does Atherton (Manchester) compare to the UK average?
Atherton (Manchester)'s pass rate is 4.3 percentage points below the UK national average of 48.7%. Atherton (Manchester) has a slightly tougher pass rate than the UK average. Routes here may be more demanding than rural centres.
How many tests are taken at Atherton (Manchester) each year?
Atherton (Manchester) has recorded 68.9K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 33.3K passed and 35.7K failed. The yearly trend chart on this page shows how volume and pass rate have moved across recent reporting periods.
Which driving test centres are near Atherton (Manchester)?
The closest DVSA test centres to Atherton (Manchester) are Atherton (Manchester) (67%), Atherton (Manchester) (60.8%), Atherton (Manchester) (52.5%) and Bolton (Manchester) (56.7%). Of these, Atherton (Manchester), Atherton (Manchester), Atherton (Manchester), Bolton (Manchester) have higher current pass rates than Atherton (Manchester)'s 44.4%. You can compare every nearby centre in the "Other test centres nearby" section above, or see them all on the interactive PassRates map.
When is the best time to book a test at Atherton (Manchester)?
Atherton (Manchester) currently sees very high demand with an estimated wait of around 22 weeks. Waits tend to ease in November, December, January, when fewer learners are booking, and peak in June, July, August. Where you can be flexible on dates, targeting one of the quieter months tends to bring a shorter wait and a wider choice of slots. Always confirm live availability on the DVSA booking service.
How do I book a test at Atherton (Manchester) and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Atherton (Manchester) as your centre. You will need your provisional licence number and your theory test pass certificate number. To pass, you must finish with no more than 15 driving (minor) faults and zero serious or dangerous faults. Our guides cover how to book step by step and how faults are marked.
How long is the wait for a driving test at Atherton (Manchester)?
The estimated wait at Atherton (Manchester) is around 22 weeks (very high demand). That figure is modelled from regional demand patterns reported in the National Audit Office investigation into car driving test waiting times, the DVSA Despatch blog updates, and this centre's test volume of 68.9K lifetime tests. Wait times peak in June and July and ease in November and December. For live availability, check the official DVSA booking service.
Source

Data: DVSA quarterly statistical release, released under the Open Government Licence v3.0. PassRates.uk aggregates DVSA centre-level totals across reporting periods.

Edited by Vikas. DVSA data period: 2024-25.