Aberystwyth (Park Avenue)

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Aberystwyth Football Club, Park Avenue, ABERYSTWYTH

ABERYSTWYTH, SY23 1PG

Pass Rate
57.9%
Members
3

Test Statistics

Aberystwyth (Park Avenue) is among the stronger places in the country to sit a practical test: 57.9% of candidates pass, against the national average of 48.6%. It is a quieter centre, running about 4 tests a day. One fault dominates: observation at junctions ends 15.6% of tests here, a notably high share.

Aberystwyth (Park Avenue) driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
57.9%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
777
~3.6 per day
First Attempt Rate
53.5%
Avg 1.8 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.01
1.0% of tests have any
Serious Faults
0.80
42.0% of tests have any
Minor Faults
3.76
97.4% of tests have any

Common faults at Aberystwyth (Park Avenue)

Most Common Fail Reasons

Junctions - observation15.6%
Common Scenarios:
  • Emerging at a T-junction or roundabout and causing another vehicle to slow down.
  • Emerging from a junction without adequate observations (even if clear).
  • Sailing through a crossroads without stopping and looking.
  • Joining a dual carriageway via a sliproad without sufficient mirror and blind spot checks.
  • Turning right in front of oncoming traffic, causing them to slow down.
Why More Common Here:
  • Junctions onto busy roads with fast flowing traffic, small gaps and the requirement to build speed quickly to avoid slowing others behind.
  • Short, curvy or otherwise awkward sliproads onto dual carriageways.
  • Busy high streets and main roads with poor visibility and bikes overtaking.
Mirrors - change direction7.6%
Common Scenarios:
  • Failing to check mirrors when exiting a roundabout.
  • Failing to check mirrors when changing lanes.
Why More Common Here:
  • Complex multi-lane roundabouts and one-way systems.
Move off - control6.8%
Common Scenarios:
  • Stalling from a parked position or in traffic.
  • Rolling back a considerable amount when moving off.
  • Attempting to move off when a gear is not selected.
Why More Common Here:
  • Hilly areas, especially around junctions.
  • Hilly roads with slow stop-start traffic, requiring consecutive hill starts.
Control - gears4.6%
Common Scenarios:
  • Selecting a low gear at high speed, causing a sudden loss of speed and danger for vehicles behind.
  • Selecting a high gear at low speed, and possibly stalling.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes with numerous fast stretches of road, necessitating higher gears and more shifting.
Control - steering4.0%
Common Scenarios:
  • Steering too much, too little, too early or too late.
  • Mounting the curb when steering out of a junction.
  • Briefly driving on the wrong side of the road when turning through a junction.
Why More Common Here:
  • Tight junctions and narrow roads.
  • Sharp left or right turns on test routes.
Judgement - meeting3.0%
Common Scenarios:
  • Failing to slow down or adjust your position when approaching an oncoming vehicle on a narrow road.
  • Misjudging the speed of an oncoming vehicle and failing to allow sufficient space for it to pass safely.
  • Continuing towards other vehicles when they have priority.
Why More Common Here:
  • Narrow residential roads, particularly those lined with parked cars.
  • Residential roads with hills and bends, requiring faster reaction time.
Awareness / planning2.8%
Common Scenarios:
  • Not anticipating the actions of other road users and reacting late to hazards or changes in traffic flow.
  • Waiting behind parked or broken down vehicles without attempting to overtake.
  • Being oblivious or inconsiderate to other drivers when merging in turn.
  • Not anticipating that pedestrians are about to cross, or walk upon the road.
Why More Common Here:
  • Busy or chaotic high streets and city centres.
  • High numbers of cyclists and/or confusing cycle infrastructure.
  • Semi- or fully-pedestrianised roads with pedestrians walking freely around.
Reverse bay park - control2.6%
Common Scenarios:
  • Failing to accurately park within the marked lines of the bay (it is okay to be crooked).
  • Inability to control the vehicle whilst reversing.
  • Touching or driving over curbs whilst performing the maneuvre.
  • Needing to reposition the car and reattempt the maneuvre multiple times.
Why More Common Here:
  • The most frequently used car parks are cramped or have an uneven surface.
  • Often this maneuvre will be done at the test centre. DTC car parks vary in quality.
Parallel park - control2.6%
Common Scenarios:
  • Inability to control the vehicle whilst reversing.
  • Touching the curb or driving over the pavement.
  • Needing to reposition the car and reattempt the maneuvre multiple times.
  • Finishing too far from the curb or the car in front.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes where the parallel park is performed on roads with a steep road camber, an uneven road surface or less space.
Response to traffic signs2.6%
Common Scenarios:
  • Not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign.
  • Attempting to drive through a no-entry sign.
  • Attempting to drive through any other sign that restricts access (e.g. buses only).
  • Ignoring a give way sign and assuming priority.
  • Ignoring a keep left sign.
Why More Common Here:
  • Stop signs are rare in the UK, but may show up in this test centre area.
  • Confusing one-way systems.
  • Complex road signs restricting access (e.g. bus-only at certain times).

Most Common Minor Faults

Junctions - observation0.33
Common Scenarios:
  • Emerging at a T-junction or roundabout and causing another vehicle to slow down.
  • Emerging from a junction without adequate observations (even if clear).
  • Sailing through a crossroads without stopping and looking.
  • Joining a dual carriageway via a sliproad without sufficient mirror and blind spot checks.
  • Turning right in front of oncoming traffic, causing them to slow down.
Why More Common Here:
  • Junctions onto busy roads with fast flowing traffic, small gaps and the requirement to build speed quickly to avoid slowing others behind.
  • Short, curvy or otherwise awkward sliproads onto dual carriageways.
  • Busy high streets and main roads with poor visibility and bikes overtaking.
Control - steering0.32
Common Scenarios:
  • Steering too much, too little, too early or too late.
  • Mounting the curb when steering out of a junction.
  • Briefly driving on the wrong side of the road when turning through a junction.
Why More Common Here:
  • Tight junctions and narrow roads.
  • Sharp left or right turns on test routes.
Move off - control0.27
Common Scenarios:
  • Stalling from a parked position or in traffic.
  • Rolling back a considerable amount when moving off.
  • Attempting to move off when a gear is not selected.
Why More Common Here:
  • Hilly areas, especially around junctions.
  • Hilly roads with slow stop-start traffic, requiring consecutive hill starts.
Move off - safely0.27
Common Scenarios:
  • When parked on the road, moving off and causing oncoming traffic to brake or swerve.
  • Not checking mirrors and blindspots when moving off from a parked position.
  • Not completing all 360° observations when continuing after an emergency stop.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes involve stopping on busier roads.
  • Test routes involve stopping on bendy residential roads with restricted visibility.
Progress - undue hesitation0.18
Common Scenarios:
  • Not emerging from a junction when it is safe to do so.
  • Waiting unnecessarily for another road user to pass who has clearly given way to you.
  • Failing to maintain momentum when joining a clear roundabout.
  • Ignoring shields and exit signals on mini-roundabouts and therefore missing many opportunities to proceed.
Why More Common Here:
  • Areas and times with fast, flowing traffic and non-obvious gaps.
  • Busy mini-roundabouts.
  • Test routes with stops along busy main roads.
Use of speed (too fast)0.16
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving above the posted speed limit.
  • Failing to reduce speed when approaching a hazard, such as a pedestrian crossing or a bend in the road.
  • Driving too fast on a road with potholes or poor surface condition (regardless of the posted speed limit).
  • Driving too fast on a national speed limit road (60 mph is often too dangerous).
  • Driving at a speed that is unsafe for the weather - rain, fog, or ice.
Why More Common Here:
  • Recently changed speed limits that conflict with old limits displayed on satnav.
  • Sudden speed limit changes, especially on exit sliproads.
  • Inadequate signage, road markings and traffic calming measures.
  • Test routes that cross both 20 mph residential zones and regular 30 mph roads.
  • 20 mph main roads where locals ignore the limit and overtake learners, causing pressure to keep pace.
  • Clearly signed 30/40/50/NSL roads that pressure learners to make progress despite potholes, bends, etc.
Awareness / planning0.14
Common Scenarios:
  • Not anticipating the actions of other road users and reacting late to hazards or changes in traffic flow.
  • Waiting behind parked or broken down vehicles without attempting to overtake.
  • Being oblivious or inconsiderate to other drivers when merging in turn.
  • Not anticipating that pedestrians are about to cross, or walk upon the road.
Why More Common Here:
  • Busy or chaotic high streets and city centres.
  • High numbers of cyclists and/or confusing cycle infrastructure.
  • Semi- or fully-pedestrianised roads with pedestrians walking freely around.
Progress - speed (too slow)0.14
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving significantly below the speed limit on a clear road without a valid reason (especially if it impacts drivers behind or causes them to overtake).
  • Being hesitant to build speed on a sliproad so as to merge safely.
  • Slowing down excessively for minor hazards, such as slight bends.
  • Losing speed due to improper gear selection on a hill.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes that cross both 20 mph residential zones and regular 30 mph roads - learners may 'hedge' their bets by driving at 20 until they are sure the limit is 30.
  • Rural national speed limit roads.
  • Fast roads with hills and bends, requiring frequent gear changes to maintain progress.
  • Short sliproads necessitating confident acceleration.
Control - gears0.13
Common Scenarios:
  • Selecting a low gear at high speed, causing a sudden loss of speed and danger for vehicles behind.
  • Selecting a high gear at low speed, and possibly stalling.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes with numerous fast stretches of road, necessitating higher gears and more shifting.
Positioning - normal driving0.12
Common Scenarios:
  • Not driving in the centre of the lane.
  • Driving for too long in the right hand lane of a dual carriageway, for no reason.
  • 'Straight-lining' a roundabout.
  • Not driving in the bus lane when it is allowed at that time.
Why More Common Here:
  • Many timed bus lanes around test centre.
  • Multi-lane roundabouts with worn lane markings.

Manoeuvres tested at Aberystwyth (Park Avenue)

Emergency stopTested 33.2% of the time
Pass Rate
80.2%
Fail Rate
1.9%
Parallel parkTested 25.2% of the time
Pass Rate
55.6%
Fail Rate
13.8%
Forward bay parkTested 25.1% of the time
Pass Rate
63.1%
Fail Rate
3.1%
Reverse rightTested 24.8% of the time
Pass Rate
56.5%
Fail Rate
4.1%
Reverse bay parkTested 24.1% of the time
Pass Rate
58.3%
Fail Rate
11.8%

Best times to book at Aberystwyth (Park Avenue)

Mon-Fri
15:00-16:00
Pass Rate
63.0%
~0.2 tests/day
Mon-Fri
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
60.3%
~0.8 tests/day
Mon-Fri
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
59.6%
~0.7 tests/day
Mon-Fri
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
59.4%
~0.7 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
57.9%
~5.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
57.7%
~0.7 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
57.4%
~0.7 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
55.5%
~0.8 tests/day
Mon-Fri
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
52.2%
~0.4 tests/day

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