Driving lessons in Walthamstow
The most popular areas include:
Chingford, Hale End, Higham Hill, Higham Park, Leyton, Snaresbrook, South Woodford, Stratford, Walthamstow Village and Wanstead.
Enter your postcode above to check lesson prices in your local area of Walthamstow.
View other guides: Driving Lessons in London, Driving Lessons in Birmingham, Driving Lessons in Manchester.
Learning to drive in Walthamstow
In 1086 Walthamstow was recorded as Wilcumestou in The Doomsday Book, which meant “The Place of Welcome.” A millennium later and Walthamstow is just as welcoming - especially for learner drivers! Gone are the carts and cattle. Instead, there’s an assortment of roads that’ll turn you into a real all-rounder when it comes to driving.
When you’re starting out, your instructor will direct you around the quieter roads of Walthamstow so you can get to grips with the basics of driving. Cherrydown Avenue is our favourite. It’s a wide residential road, perfect for practising clutch control, signalling, and moving off and stopping. There are plenty of other roads like it in Walthamstow, so you’ll be spoilt for choice!
The roads around Walthamstow village are a good spot to drive around. You’ll have to keep an eye out for one-way roads, no entry signs, and a host of other things like cyclists, pedestrians, and buses! It’s an area sure to keep you on your toes so it’s well worth a drive if you’re looking to test out your skills. Remember to pay close attention to the road signs and markings!
When you’re feeling more advanced, there’s the A503 which will take you through the heart of Walthamstow, past the William Morris Gallery. There’s also the North Circular Road, which is great for dual carriageway practice. You can take it south towards Ilford or west towards Wood Green and East Barnet. If instead you need to practise manoeuvres, there’s always plenty of parked cars around Walthamstow to help you nail your parallel park. With all that on offer, we’re sure you’ll be flying through your test in no time!
Taking your test in Walthamstow
The main test centre in Walthamstow is the Wanstead Driving Test Centre. The DVSA no longer publishes the routes for driving tests, but your driving instructor will help you to get to know the roads around your chosen test centre, so you’re as prepared as you can be.
The Wanstead Driving Test Centre is situated in a residential area, with plenty of tight, narrow roads and parked cars around. The A113 also runs right by the test centre, and is bustling with cars, buses, junctions and crossings. You’ll definitely want experience on it, especially when it’s at its busiest, so there’s no surprises on test day!
The A12 is the biggest road your likely to experience during your test, a dual carriageway at national speed limit. However, since your test is only 40 minutes long, you won’t spend too much time on it. You’ll soon be back amongst the residential roads, tackling junctions, crossings and mini roundabouts. Stay relaxed, keep focussed, and you’ll do great!
Driving test centre locations in Walthamstow
There are three test centres in and around Walthamstow:
- Wanstead (London): 2 Devon House, Hermon Hill, Wanstead, Greater London, E11 2AW
- Tottenham: Driving Test Centre Tottenham Annex Building, Selby Centre, Selby Road, Tottenham, Greater London, N17 8JL
- Chingford (London): Doric House, 128 Station Road, Chingford, Greater London, E4 6AD
Manual vs automatic
__You can have manual or automatic driving lessons in Walthamstow
It’s always worth having a think which would suit you best - manual or automatic? A manual licence qualifies you to drive both manual and automatics, whereas an automatic licence restricts you to the latter. However, there’s less to get your head around in an automatic, so you could end up passing faster.
If you’ll be travelling during rush hour in Walthamstow, an automatic could be simpler, as you won’t have to keep changing gears in stop-start traffic. If you’ll be taking longer journeys, a manual might be your go-to, as they offer a greater sense of control. It’s down to you and what you think will suit you best!