Bradford (Thornbury) Driving Test Centre
Bradford (Thornbury) in Bradford, England has a current pass rate of 47.1%, 1.6 points below the UK average of 48.7%. This page breaks down the multi-year trend, the first-time and gender pass rates, the waiting time and how it compares with the rest of the UK, all from the DVSA quarterly data.
DVSA data last updated August 2026
Bradford (Thornbury) sits in the bottom half of car pass rates nationally (Bottom 28%, rank #234 of 323). The strongest car alternative nearby is Horsforth, about 5.5 miles away.
Pass vs fail at a glance
All-time 31.7K passed, 41.0K failed, 72.7K total
How Bradford (Thornbury) compares
Bradford (Thornbury) sits 1.6 points below the UK average, ranked 234 of 323 in its category: close enough that centre choice matters far less than preparation.
Where Bradford (Thornbury) ranks among 323 centres
Pass-rate trend by year
Bradford (Thornbury) has climbed 3.8 points across the series, 43.3% in 2017-18 to 47.1% now; the weakest year on record was 40.5% in 2018-19.
Pass rate by demographic
Waiting time at Bradford (Thornbury)
The headline figure for reaching 10% availability is 15.5 weeks, but the typical (median) learner who took their test at Bradford (Thornbury) in May 2026 had waited 4.9 weeks from booking to test day.
Official DVSA data, May 2026. The median is the time between booking and taking the test; for live availability use the DVSA booking service.
Centre details
Address
Source: DVSA find a driving test centre (Open Government Licence v3.0), captured 2026-05-12.
Tests offered at Bradford (Thornbury)
- car
- motorcycle module 2 (on-road)
- 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 BD3 7AY, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.
About this test centre
Bradford (Thornbury) is one of the DVSA's car test sites in England, located in Bradford, West Yorkshire at BD1 1PH. The choice of routes reflects the local mix of road types rather than any standard national template. If you're cross-checking this pass rate against other sources, the sample size matters. 72.7K tests over 2017-18-2024-25 is large enough that any rounding you see between sites is just rounding, not disagreement on the underlying data.
Bradford (Thornbury) runs close to the national curve: 47.1% pass rate, 1.6 points below the UK average of 48.7%. The rank is #234 of 323 car centres. Bradford (Thornbury) is one of the tougher venues for a first attempt. The DVSA reports 45.5% first-time pass against a UK average of 49%, 3.5 points down on the national figure.
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 Bradford (Thornbury)
- Bradford (Thornbury) doesn't deviate much from the national curve, so generic preparation advice (mock tests, mirror discipline, junction observation) applies here in the same shape it would anywhere.
- Bradford (Thornbury) is a high-volume centre. Booking pressure is real, check the DVSA booking service daily for earlier slots rather than relying on the headline available date.
- Ask any instructor working Bradford (Thornbury) about the centre's "usual fails", they'll have two or three specific junctions or manoeuvres in mind. Practise those until they're automatic before your date.
- If you missed the earlier slots at Bradford (Thornbury), cancellations appear on the official DVSA booking service throughout the day. Check at off-peak times (early morning, late evening) for the best chance of catching one.
Other test centres nearby
On the day at Bradford (Thornbury)
Arrive at Bradford (Thornbury) 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 BD1 1PH) maps the centre and its surroundings. With high demand and waits near 16 to 20 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 Heckmondwike is fully booked, Bradford (Thornbury) is the next closest centre, roughly 7 miles away.
Plan for a drive of roughly 40 minutes, identical in structure to every other DVSA centre. First comes the 20-metre eyesight check and a tell-me vehicle-safety question, then the examiner joins you for the road section, with one show-me question while you drive. About 20 minutes is independent driving by sat nav or by following signs to a named target, you tackle one of four set manoeuvres, and around one in seven candidates get 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 DVSA marking nationally, the fault recorded most often on car tests is junctions - observation, worth drilling on the local routes before your date.
You find out there and then, back at Bradford (Thornbury). The examiner runs through the faults on the DL25 feedback form and, on a pass, keeps your provisional licence so a full licence follows in the post. Clearing the test means staying under 16 driving faults, that is 15 or fewer, with no serious or dangerous fault; 47.1% of candidates here manage it on the current marking.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass rate at Bradford (Thornbury)?
Is Bradford (Thornbury) an easy or hard test centre?
How does Bradford (Thornbury) compare to the UK average?
How many driving tests does Bradford (Thornbury) record?
Which driving test centres are near Bradford (Thornbury)?
When is the best time to book a test at Bradford (Thornbury)?
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How long is the wait for a driving test at Bradford (Thornbury)?
Data: DVSA quarterly statistical release, released under the Open Government Licence v3.0. PassRates.uk aggregates DVSA centre-level totals across reporting periods.
DVSA data period: 2024-25.