Atherton (Manchester) Driving Test Centre
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.
Pass vs fail at a glance
15.8K passed, 16.1K failed, 31.9K total
How Atherton (Manchester) compares
Atherton (Manchester) performs notably better than the UK average. This often correlates with rural or suburban routes that have fewer multi-lane roundabouts and complex urban scenarios.
Where Atherton (Manchester) ranks among 152 centres
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.
- 1Junctions - observation10
- 2Mirrors - change direction9
- 3Move off - safely8
- 4Junctions - turning right7
- 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
Estimated wait time and demand
Wait times at Atherton (Manchester) have been lengthening as demand outpaces examiner capacity. Booking requires patience: learners booking at Atherton (Manchester) typically wait around 18 weeks from booking to test day.
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
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
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): a DVSA hgv/lgv test centre in Atherton, Greater Manchester. Local routes, local traffic patterns, no national standard for what "harder" or "easier" looks like beyond what the numbers below show. Across 2017-18-2024-25 the DVSA recorded 31.9K tests at Atherton (Manchester). A solid mid-range sample, the data is reliable enough that the rank position below isn't an artefact of small numbers.
The bottom quarter of the UK by pass rate: Atherton (Manchester) ranks #127 of 152 hgv/lgv centres at 52.5%, 3.8 points above the national figure of 48.7%. DVSA doesn't break out first-attempt figures for Atherton (Manchester) in DRT122C, so the split between first-time and retake pass rates isn't published for this centre.
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.
What learners should know about Atherton (Manchester)
- Pass rate at Atherton (Manchester) sits close to the UK average. Prepare for an ordinary level of difficulty: examiners apply the standard DVSA marking sheet, and the routes are a representative mix of local conditions.
- 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.
- The only legitimate booking route is gov.uk. Anything calling itself a "test booking concierge" is reselling the same slots at a markup, the slots aren't theirs to control.
Other test centres nearby
On the day at Atherton (Manchester)
Give yourself ten minutes in hand when you head to Atherton (Manchester), and look up where to park beforehand, facilities differ from one DVSA site to the next. The DVSA centre finder (postcode M46 0DU) shows the exact location. This is a high-demand centre, modelled at roughly 18 weeks to a slot, so book as far ahead as you can and keep an eye on cancellations. You must have your provisional photocard licence on you, plus a car with L plates and a working interior mirror for the examiner.
Once underway the test takes around 40 minutes and is the same wherever you sit it. The examiner verifies your eyesight at 20 metres, puts one show-me and one tell-me question to you, then accompanies the drive. About 20 minutes is independent driving, sat nav or road signs to a named destination, with one of four set manoeuvres and an emergency stop on roughly one test in three. The drive covers the local mix of road types within roughly a twenty-minute radius of the centre. Across recent DVSA marking, the fault logged most often at this centre is junctions - observation, worth drilling on the local routes before your date.
There is no wait for the verdict, the examiner delivers it at the centre. They go over each fault recorded, hand you the DL25 feedback form, and on a pass retain your provisional licence so the full version arrives by post. To pass you need no more than 15 driving faults and not a single serious or dangerous one; 52.5% of candidates at Atherton (Manchester) currently clear that.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Atherton (Manchester)?
Is Atherton (Manchester) an easy or hard test centre?
How does Atherton (Manchester) compare to the UK average?
How many tests are taken at Atherton (Manchester) each year?
Which driving test centres are near Atherton (Manchester)?
When is the best time to book a test at Atherton (Manchester)?
How do I book a test at Atherton (Manchester) and what do I need?
How long is the wait for a driving test at Atherton (Manchester)?
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.