Driving Lessons Around Derby, Spondon & Alvaston

MD Driving delivers structured, confidence-building manual driving lessons across Derby and the surrounding area, based from Spondon and within approximately a 10-mile radius. Our local knowledge extends from suburban roads to busy urban traffic and key DVSA driving test routes used around Derby.

The official Derby (Alvaston) Driving Test Centre is located off Belmore Way in Alvaston, Derbyshire, DE21 7AY, and hosts practical driving tests including car tests and ADI examinations.

Because the exam runs extensively around local areas, learners benefit enormously from lessons near:

• A5111 Raynesway — major ring road access
  
• A6 & A52 urban routes — common inclusion on test routes
  
• Residential estates around Chaddesden & Alvaston
  
• Busy roundabouts and slip roads used in test traffic patterns
  

This means your lessons with MD Driving aren’t just generic — they help you master the road types and junctions you’re most likely to encounter on test day.

Based in Spondon — Local and Convenient

Being based in Spondon gives MD Driving an excellent starting point for local practice and easy access to a wide variety of road conditions:

• Quiet residential streets in Spondon and Borrowash — perfect for beginners
  
• Junctions, traffic flows and roundabouts en route to Derby
  
• Suburban roads developing anticipation and hazard skills
  
• Easy progression to busier routes as your confidence grows
  

Spondon lies just east of Derby city centre, which allows learners to build from simple control skills into more complex scenarios within a short drive.

Around Derby — Roads You’ll Master

MD Driving lessons cover all the road types you’ll experience in your test and everyday driving:

Urban & Residential Streets

• Alvaston, Chaddesden, Oakwood, Allenton — build confidence with parked cars, junctions and meeting traffic
  
• Derby City Centre — traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and busy flows
  

Roundabouts & Major Junctions

• Raynesway roundabouts and slip roads
  
• London Road / A6 junctions
  
• Complex multi-lane roundabouts used on test routes
  

Dual Carriageways & Main Roads

• A5111 and nearby dual carriageways — vital for hazard perception
  
• Routes connecting Derby to surrounding towns
  

Suburban & Rural Roads

• Chaddesden, Borrowash and Ockbrook, — quieter roads that build anticipation, control and forward planning
  

This blend gives learners exposure to real driving conditions long before test day.

Areas We Regularly Teach In

We offer lessons across a wide range of Derby postcodes and suburbs, including:

East & South Derby:

• Spondon
  
• Alvaston
  
• Chaddesden
  
• Allenton
  
• Chellaston
  
• Oakwood
  
• Borrowash
  
• Ockbrook
  

Central & North Derby:

• Derby City Centre
  
• Wilmorton
  
• Normanton
  
• Osmaston
  
• Sinfin
  

West & Surroundings:

• Littleover
  
• Mickleover
  
• Mackworth
  
• Darley Abbey
  

If you’re outside these areas but near Derby, just ask — we’re often able to accommodate lessons nearby.

🔎 Why Local Expertise Matters

Learning close to the Alvaston test centre and through the roads you’ll face on test day gives you huge advantages:

• Confidence with real test-like junctions and roundabouts
  
• Familiarity with speed changes and hazard positions
  
• Practice on the road types used by DVSA examiners
  
• Less anxiety on test day because the area feels familiar

Typical Driving Test Route Areas — Derby (Alvaston)

While exact DVSA test routes change, practical driving tests from Derby (Alvaston) Driving Test Centre commonly use a mix of the following roads and areas. Lessons with MD Driving regularly cover these locations to build familiarity and confidence.

Starting Area

• Belmore Way & local industrial estate roads
• Low-speed control, parked vehicles, early observations.

Urban Traffic Routes

London Road (A6)
Traffic lights, lane positioning, pedestrian crossings.

Osmaston Road
Bus lanes, busy traffic flow, hazard awareness.

Pride Park area
Roundabouts, multi-lane positioning, spiral markings.

Ring Road & Faster Roads
Raynesway (A5111)
Dual carriageway driving, joining traffic, speed control.

A52 slip roads (when conditions allow)
Merging, lane discipline, anticipation.

Residential Skill Areas
Alvaston housing estates
Meeting traffic, parked cars, right/left turns.

Chaddesden
Mini roundabouts, closed junctions, awareness.

Spondon
Ideal for early-stage control and junction practice.

Roundabout Practice Zones

Pentagon Island (as skill level develops)
Lane planning, signalling, traffic reading.

Raynesway roundabouts
Speed judgement and safe entry.

Independent Driving Sections
Routes often include mixed driving between suburbs and main roads, requiring learners to follow signs and make safe decisions without prompts.

Important: MD Driving doesn’t “memorise routes” — you learn the skills needed to drive confidently on any road the driving examiner chooses.

Pick-Up & Lesson Flexibility

We can usually arrange pick-up and drop-off from your home or a convenient local point within our coverage area. Just let us know when booking and we’ll plan the best route for your progression.