PassRates.uk
Motorcycle Module 2 Test Centre, England

Cardington Driving Test Centre

Moto, Mod 2CardingtonHigh pass rate

At Cardington, 73% of candidates pass, one of the 135 test centres we rank from the DVSA data. Below you will find the full pass-rate history, the demographic split, the estimated waiting time and a comparison with the nearest centres.

Pass rate (2020-21)
73%
vs 72.2% UK avg
Tests in period
1.1K
2018-19 to 2020-21 (3yr avg)
National rank
#76
of 135 centres
1st-time pass
N/A
DVSA omits this centre from DRT122C

DVSA data last updated September 2026

Compare and decide

Cardington sits in the bottom half of motorcycle module 2 pass rates nationally (Bottom 44%, rank #76 of 135). The strongest motorcycle module 2 alternative nearby is Letchworth, about 12.8 miles away.

LetchworthBest nearby
12.8 mi away
80.4%
+7.4 pp
All centres in Cardington→See every centre on the map→Best centre for me→

Pass vs fail at a glance

73%passed
failed27%

All-time 2.4K passed, 1.1K failed, 3.5K total

How Cardington compares

Cardington
73%
UK national average
72.2%
Difference
+0.8 pp

Statistically Cardington is about as neutral as a venue gets, under a point from the national average and ranked 76 of 135 in its category. Preparation, not postcode, decides the outcome here.

Where Cardington ranks among 135 centres

Bottom 44%
Cardington sits in the bottom half of motorcycle module 2 pass rates
Rank
#76
BestMedianHardest

Pass-rate trend by year

The headline barely moved (71.1% in 2013-14, 73.1% now) but the ride was not smooth: Cardington has swung 12 points between its best year (75.3%, 2018-19) and its worst (63.3%, 2017-18).

Pass rate by demographic

Male vs female pass rate gap 3.8 pp
Male69.4%
0%100%
Female65.6%
0%100%
Zero faults0%
0 candidates have passed without a single recorded fault across all DVSA periods

Estimated wait time and demand

Estimated wait
8 to 12 weeks
Moderate demand
Weekly capacity
~10
estimated test slots per week
Demand
Moderate
around the middle of the range

Booking is achievable but not immediate: on this estimate, learners booking at Cardington would typically wait around 8 to 12 weeks from booking to test day.

Peak months
June, July, August, September
when UK waits tend to be longest
Best to book
November, December, January, February
when UK waits tend to be shortest

This wait is an estimate modelled from regional demand and this centre's test volume, not a live booking figure. See how it is worked out on our methodology page, and check the DVSA booking service for live slots.

Centre details

Address

Cardington
Bedford
England

Tests offered at Cardington

  • Motorcycle Module 2

For other test types at this location, search the DVSA centre finder.

Accessibility & facilities

Parking, toilets, and disabled-access details vary by centre. Check the official DVSA find a driving test centre tool, or call DVSA Customer Services on 0300 200 1122.

About this test centre

Cardington is one of the DVSA's motorcycle module 2 test sites in England, located in Cardington, Bedford. The choice of routes reflects the local mix of road types rather than any standard national template. Across 2013-14-2020-21 the centre handled 3.5K tests, a modest sample. The aggregated multi-year figure on this page is the most reliable read; quarterly swings deserve more skepticism here than at a high-volume centre.

Cardington runs close to the national curve: 73% pass rate, within a point of the UK average of 72.2%. The rank is #76 of 135 motorcycle module 2 centres. DVSA doesn't break out first-attempt figures for Cardington 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.

Country
England
Test category
Motorcycle Module 2

What learners should know about Cardington

  • Cardington 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.
  • If you can, take at least one lesson with an instructor who specifically works the Cardington area. Local instructors know which nearby junctions are demanding and will drill them.
  • If you missed the earlier slots at Cardington, 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.
Before you drive off

Whether you pass at Cardington is not decided by the centre. It is decided by the 15 things an examiner can mark you on, and control, steering is one of the ones that ends attempts early.

DVSA publishes all 21 vehicle safety questions in advance, 14 tell me and 7 show me. You get 2 of them on the day, one at the roadside and one while you are driving. Get one wrong or both wrong and it counts as one driving fault, not two.

Show me, tell me questionsIs that a fault?Test day readiness check

Look further ahead. Practise pull-push on a quiet residential loop with a continuous commentary. never steer while stationary; always inch forward first. Free to use, no sign up. Everything for the day itself is on the practical test hub.

Other test centres nearby

Bedford
2.6 mi, 947 tests, Rank #29
79.5%
+6.5 pp
LetchworthBest nearby
12.8 mi, 5.9K tests, Rank #24
80.4%
+7.4 pp
Bletchley
16.0 mi, 994 tests, Rank #106
67.7%
-5.3 pp
Kettering
22.3 mi, 11.0K tests, Rank #87
71.1%
-1.9 pp
Peterborough
32.2 mi, 8.2K tests, Rank #122
63.5%
-9.5 pp
Aylesbury
26.9 mi, 4.7K tests, Rank #115
65.4%
-7.6 pp
Before the practical

You cannot book a practical test at Cardington until you hold a theory pass, and it has to still be valid on the day you sit it. Nationally 44.8% of candidates pass the theory.

Take a free mock testPractise safety and your vehicleRoad signs

Vehicle condition, tyres, lights, fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. All 14 DVSA topics are free to practise, with no sign up. See the theory pass rate by centre or the full practice hub.

See all centres in Cardington→Easiest UK centres→Hardest UK centres→Best for first-time pass→Busiest UK centres→

Frequently asked questions

What is the pass rate at Cardington?
The current pass rate at Cardington driving test centre is 73%, calculated from 1.1K tests in 2018-19 to 2020-21 (3yr avg). DVSA does not publish first-attempt figures for this centre. Across all DVSA reporting periods on record, the lifetime average is 69% (from 3.5K tests).
Is Cardington an easy or hard test centre?
Cardington is ranked #76 of 135 UK motorcycle module 2 test centres by pass rate, placing it in the bottom half of motorcycle module 2 pass rates nationally. Its pass rate of 73% compares to a UK average of 72.2%. Much of the spread comes down to route geography: lighter traffic and simpler junctions lift a centre, dense city driving and complex roundabouts pull it down.
How does Cardington compare to the UK average?
Cardington's pass rate is 0.8 percentage points above the UK national average of 72.2%. Statistically Cardington is about as neutral as a venue gets, under a point from the national average and ranked 76 of 135 in its category. Preparation, not postcode, decides the outcome here.
How many driving tests does Cardington record?
Cardington has recorded 3.5K tests in the available DVSA data, of which 2.4K passed and 1.1K failed. The trend chart on this page plots how both volume and pass rate have changed across the recent DVSA reporting periods.
Which driving test centres are near Cardington?
The closest DVSA test centres to Cardington are Bedford (79.5%), Letchworth (80.4%), Bletchley (67.7%) and Kettering (71.1%). Of these, Bedford, Letchworth have higher current pass rates than Cardington's 73%. Bletchley, Kettering sit lower. 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 Cardington?
Cardington currently sees moderate demand with an estimated wait of about 8 to 12 weeks. Across the UK, waits tend to ease in November, December, January, when fewer learners are booking, and peak in June, July, August. If your test date is flexible, aiming for a quieter month can mean a shorter wait and more slot choice. Always confirm live availability on the DVSA booking service.
How do I book a test at Cardington and what do I need?
Book your practical test through the official DVSA service at gov.uk/book-driving-test, then choose Cardington as your centre. You will need your provisional licence number and your theory test pass certificate number. Our guides cover how to book step by step and how faults are marked.
How long is the wait for a driving test at Cardington?
The estimated wait at Cardington is about 8 to 12 weeks (moderate demand). That range 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 3.5K lifetime tests, so treat it as an estimate rather than a live figure. Across the UK, waits 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.

DVSA data period: 2020-21.

By Vikas DulgundeUpdated MethodologySources