Driving Lessons in Plymouth

Pass faster with top-rated driving instructors in Plymouth.

Last updated: 12 Aug 2020

Looking for lessons in Plymouth?

No matter where you are in Plymouth, there are instructors available for you! The top areas include:

Beaumont, Crabtree, Crownhill, Derriford, Efford, Honicknowle, Mannamead, North Prospect, St Budeaux and Whitleigh.

Enter your postcode above to check lesson pricing in Plymouth.

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

Learning to drive in Plymouth

After Bristol, Plymouth is the biggest city in the South West. So it may get a little busy, but there’s still a great variety of roads to learn on.

When you’re starting out your driving instructor will find you some quiet residential streets where the pressure’s off, to get you used to the basics. Shirburn Road and Kingswear Crescent are good examples. They link up to form a nice circuit on which you can practise moving off and stopping, signalling, and steering, without the worry of other cars around. There’s also the B3413 nearby which works well when you’re ready to step up to busier roads.

Plymouth has its fair share of hills so you’ll want to be confident with your hill starts. It’s important to start on gently inclined roads that are quiet or empty, like Bridgewater Close or Carisbrooke Road, where it will be okay if you make mistakes. When you’re ready to test yourself, head to Fisher Road, or the nearby Ganges Road. They’re both steep and stuffed with parked cars, so they’re a real challenge not just for hill starts, but for parallel parking too.

If you’re looking for dual carriageway experience, look no further than the A374. It’s near Plymouth University and includes a busy roundabout where it meets the A386. With a three-lane approach, you’ll want to focus hard on your lane positioning, and pay attention to the signs and road markings. Come your test, you’ll need to be able to handle scenarios like this safely. We’re sure you’ll do great!

Manual and automatic driving lessons

Everyone’s different, so think carefully about manual and automatic driving lessons in Plymouth.

There’s a lot to think about when it comes to choosing between manual and automatic. A manual licence enables you to drive both manual and automatic cars. An automatic licence restricts you to automatics. Manual lessons also tend to be cheaper than automatic ones.

However, you’ll want to think about where you plan to drive in Plymouth once you pass your test. If you’ll be driving around during rush hour you might prefer an automatic, so you don’t have to change gears all the time in stop-start traffic. Automatics also make hill starts a lot easier. On the other hand, an automatic sacrifices the sense of control that you get with a manual transmission. Think hard before you pick between the two!

Driving test centre locations

When you’re ready to book your practical driving test, your instructor will help you pick the test centre that’s right for you. Then they’ll get you learning all the right routes in the lead-up to your test. You can search your postcode on the DVSA website for your nearest test centre, or check our list for the test centres in the Plymouth postcode area:

  • Plymouth: Ernesettle Lane, Plymouth, Devon, PL5 2EY
  • Launceston: Suite 4 Sheers Barton Barns, Lawhitton, Launceston, Cornwall, PL15 9NJ
  • Bodmin: Driving Test Centre Bodmin Beatrice Road, Units 32 - 36, Walker Lines Offices, Beatrice Road, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL31 1RD