Driving lessons in Preston

Pass faster with top rated driving instructors in Preston.

Last updated: 12 Aug 2020

Looking for driving lessons in Preston

If you’re Preston-based, some of the popular areas to learn to drive are:

Aston-on-Ribble, Bamber Bridge, Cadley, Chorley, Fulwood, Ingol, Lea, Penwortham, Ribbleton and Tardy Gate.

Enter your postcode above to find prices in your local area of Preston.

View other guides: Driving Lessons in London, Driving Lessons in Birmingham, Driving Lessons in Manchester.

Learning to drive in Preston

Preston is a great place to be a new driver. Perfect for day trips, you’re just a stone’s throw from Manchester, Blackpool, and the Lake District. But before you can enjoy all that, you’ll have to pass your test!

If you’re new to the wheel, we’d recommend getting some practice in a quiet, residential area. Fulwood, near Royal Preston Hospital, is our top choice. The streets here are wide, flat and quiet, which makes them ideal for getting your head around moving off and stopping. They’re also a great choice when it comes to practising your manoeuvres - whether that’s reversing out of a parking space, parallel parking, or pulling up on the right and reversing two car lengths.

At some point, you’re going to want to get some experience on busier, more challenging roads. So, it’s lucky that there are plenty of A roads surrounding the city. Give the A6 a try if you want to get used to responding to road markings (including box junctions!) and traffic lights. Alternatively, hop onto the A59 Ring Way to get some dual carriageway experience.

Another way to stretch yourself is by driving on some of the winding, rural roads outside the city. Haighton Green Lane and Inglewhite Road towards the Forest of Bowland are two good examples. You’ll need to get used to adapting your speed to take into account the road conditions, sharp bends and hazards.

Taking your test in Preston

Sandwiched between the A583 and the River Ribble, just up the road from the Ribble Steam Railway and Museum, you’ll find Preston Test Centre. Although the DVSA no longer publishes test routes, there are routes that are likely to come up in your test.

As the test centre sits on a largely industrial road, you won’t find too much traffic on your way out. However, because of where the centre is situated, you could come across some dual carriageways pretty early on in your test - the A583 and A59 aren’t far off. Other busy A roads, like Blackpool Road and Strand Road, are also likely to crop up, so make sure that you’re confident with anticipating hazards, responding to road markings and dealing with heavy traffic - especially if you’re taking your test during rush hour.

Driving test routes deliberately incorporate a broad range of road types, so you’ll also encounter some quieter, residential roads to offset the busy ones. The suburban streets of Penwortham are a popular choice for examiners, and so it could very well be here that you’re asked to carry out your manoeuvre. The streets of Penwortham are generally wide and quiet, so don’t worry, you’ll be fine!

Driving test centre locations

While there’s only one driving test centre in Preston, there are a few in the Preston postcode area. To view a full list of driving test centres near you, check out gov.uk.

  • Preston: Chain Caul Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 2PD
  • Chorley: Rossall Road, Chorley, Lancashire, PR6 0BT
  • Southport (Liverpool): Eastbank House, Eastbank Street, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 1HE

Manual vs Automatic

Manual or automatic driving lessons? You can find both in Preston.

Before you book your driving lessons, you’ll need to decide whether you want to learn in a manual or automatic car. If you take your driving test in a manual car, you’ll be able to drive both types of vehicles once you pass, whereas if you take it in an automatic car, you’ll only be able to drive automatics.

Both transmissions have their pluses. Manual cars and lessons are cheaper, and if you’re driving long distance, you might enjoy the sense of control that a manual car gives you. Automatic cars and lessons are pricier, but there’s less to get your head around and so you could learn more quickly. Automatics are also more pleasant to drive in heavy traffic, as they take away the need to work the clutch and change gears each time you come to a standstill. So, take your time to brush up on both options!