Barrow In Furness

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Driving Test Centre Barrow-In-Furness, Trinity Enterprise Centre, Unit 11, Ironworks Road

Unit 11, LA14 2PN

Pass Rate
67.5%
Members
3

Test Statistics

Barrow In Furness is among the stronger places in the country to sit a practical test: 67.5% of candidates pass, against the national average of 48.6%. It is a quieter centre, running about 5 tests a day. No single fault dominates — the most common, observation at junctions, accounts for 6.3%. It draws mostly first-timers — 64.1% are sitting their first test — and the average candidate passes in 1.6 attempts.

Barrow In Furness driving test pass rate and statistics

Pass Rate
67.5%
National: 48.6%
Total Tests
1,008
~4.7 per day
First Attempt Rate
64.1%
Avg 1.6 attempts
Dangerous Faults
0.06
5.3% of tests have any
Serious Faults
0.52
31.0% of tests have any
Minor Faults
3.25
88.9% of tests have any

Common faults at Barrow In Furness

Most Common Fail Reasons

Junctions - observation6.3%
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.
Move off - safely5.0%
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.
Move off - control3.7%
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.
Clearance / obstructions3.3%
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving too close to a vehicle when passing, even though the road allows for more space.
  • Driving too close to parked vehicles or other fixed structures.
Why More Common Here:
  • Narrow roads with limited space for cars to give way to each other.
  • Awkwardly placed width restrictors.
  • High levels of traffic and/or bus routes on narrow roads.
Junctions - turning right3.2%
Common Scenarios:
  • Incorrect positioning when turning right at junctions.
  • Not positioning to the right of the road when turning right.
  • Turning right at a roundabout using the incorrect lane.
  • Not using the waiting area in the middle of the road when waiting to turn right, therefore blocking traffic behind.
Why More Common Here:
  • Confusing road layouts, worn road markings and circuitous test routes involving waiting area for right turns.
  • Roundabouts with many exits making lane choice less obvious.
  • Roundabouts whose signs contradict the actual road geometry, making the 12 o'clock rule difficult to follow.
Control - steering3.0%
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.
Mirrors - change direction2.7%
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.
Response to traffic lights2.7%
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving through a red light.
  • Driving through an amber light when you could have stopped safely.
  • Hesitating unnecessarily at a green light, impeding the flow of traffic.
  • Incorrectly stopping at a red light that is meant for other drivers.
  • Ignoring or misinterpreting a green arrow filter light.
  • Not waiting in the middle of a box junction when turning right.
Why More Common Here:
  • High traffic volume in the area can pressure learners to avoid stopping for amber lights.
  • Confusingly located traffic lights.
  • Traffic lights placed on fast sections of road where learners feel pressured to make good progress.
  • Traffic lights placed within roundabouts, where learners are too focused on lane position and observations.
Response to road markings2.4%
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving in an incorrect lane that was clearly marked.
  • Ignoring lane arrows at junctions (e.g. left turn only).
  • Ignoring a give way line and assuming priority.
  • Stopping within a cycle box, not respecting advanced stop lines.
Why More Common Here:
  • Road markings worn away due to infrequent maintenance and/or heavy traffic.
  • Complex or confusing lane restrictions.
  • Road markings can be easily missed in slow moving traffic, especially when other road users may not follow them.
  • Give way lines draw in unusual places.
Judgement - meeting2.4%
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.

Most Common Minor Faults

Move off - safely0.33
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.
Move off - control0.33
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 - steering0.30
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.
Progress - undue hesitation0.27
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.
Mirrors - signalling0.20
Common Scenarios:
  • Checking mirrors after or at the same time as signalling.
Why More Common Here:
  • Test routes that involve frequent or rushed lane changes.
Clearance / obstructions0.12
Common Scenarios:
  • Driving too close to a vehicle when passing, even though the road allows for more space.
  • Driving too close to parked vehicles or other fixed structures.
Why More Common Here:
  • Narrow roads with limited space for cars to give way to each other.
  • Awkwardly placed width restrictors.
  • High levels of traffic and/or bus routes on narrow roads.
Position - normal stops0.11
Common Scenarios:
  • Stopping in a location that obstructs a driveway, a junction, or a bus stop.
  • Parking with one or more wheels on the pavement.
  • Parking too far from the kerb.
Why More Common Here:
  • Inner city test areas with limited roadside parking.
  • Areas where residents habitually park on the pavement can trick learners into thinking it is acceptable.
Junctions - observation0.11
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.
Reverse bay park - control0.10
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.
Vehicle checks0.10
Common Scenarios:
  • Getting either the show me or tell me question wrong (one minor fault).
  • Losing control of the car when answering the show me question.

Manoeuvres tested at Barrow In Furness

Reverse bay parkTested 28.2% of the time
Pass Rate
60.2%
Fail Rate
8.5%
Forward bay parkTested 25.1% of the time
Pass Rate
71.5%
Fail Rate
6.3%
Parallel parkTested 23.8% of the time
Pass Rate
69.6%
Fail Rate
7.5%
Emergency stopTested 22.5% of the time
Pass Rate
67.0%
Fail Rate
0.0%
Reverse rightTested 22.4% of the time
Pass Rate
71.2%
Fail Rate
2.2%

Best times to book at Barrow In Furness

Saturday
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
83.3%
~0.4 tests/day
Saturday
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
75.0%
~0.4 tests/day
Mon-Fri
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
74.0%
~0.5 tests/day
Mon-Fri
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
73.9%
~0.9 tests/day
Saturday
15:00-16:00
Pass Rate
72.7%
~0.4 tests/day
Mon-Fri
All times
Pass Rate
67.6%
~6.1 tests/day
Mon-Fri
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
67.4%
~0.9 tests/day
Mon-Fri
14:00-15:00
Pass Rate
67.0%
~0.6 tests/day
Mon-Fri
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
66.7%
~0.9 tests/day
Saturday
All times
Pass Rate
65.4%
~2.5 tests/day
Mon-Fri
11:00-12:00
Pass Rate
64.3%
~0.9 tests/day
Mon-Fri
15:00-16:00
Pass Rate
64.2%
~1.3 tests/day
Saturday
09:00-10:00
Pass Rate
63.6%
~0.4 tests/day
Saturday
13:00-14:00
Pass Rate
63.6%
~0.4 tests/day
Saturday
08:00-09:00
Pass Rate
60.0%
~0.3 tests/day
Saturday
10:00-11:00
Pass Rate
40.0%
~0.3 tests/day
Saturday
12:00-13:00
Pass Rate
0.0%
~0.0 tests/day

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