Test Centre Stats

North West, England · DVSA car test centre

West Didsbury (Manchester) driving test centre

Unit 11, Christie Park, West Didsbury, M21 7QY

Tests here: car, ADI part 3.

Waiting times to September 2026 and pass rates for 2025–26, from DVSA statistics published .

Median wait, September 2026

19.9 weeks

+5.6 wk on a year ago

Pass rate, 2025–26

47.7%

−2.3 pts vs GB 50.0%

Wait rank in Great Britain

270 of 314

1 = shortest wait; 32nd of 32 North West

Weeks to 10% of slots free

24+ weeks

GB 19.7 weeks

People who took a car test at West Didsbury (Manchester) in September 2026 had booked it a median of 19.9 weeks earlier: 8.3 weeks longer than the Great Britain figure (11.6 weeks), and 7.3 weeks longer than the North West figure (12.6 weeks). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 14.3 weeks, so the wait has grown by 5.6 weeks. Over the last 12 months it ranged from 8.1 weeks to 22.6 weeks.

When DVSA took its snapshot on the last Monday of September 2026, no week in the next 24 had even 10% of its slots free. DVSA caps this measure at 24 weeks, so the true figure could be longer. Across the whole 24-week window, 3.9% of standard slots were still unbooked (Great Britain: 13.3%).

Waiting time over the last two years

Median weeks between booking a test and taking it, for tests taken each month.

  • West Didsbury (Manchester)
  • North West
  • Great Britain
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at West Didsbury (Manchester), October 2024 to September 2026West Didsbury (Manchester): 19.9 weeks in September 2026, against 11.6 weeks for Great Britain.0102030Oct 24Jan 25Apr 25Jul 25Oct 25Jan 26Apr 26Jul 2619.9Weeks0102030Jan 25Jul 25Jan 26Jul 2619.9Weeks
Show these figures as a table
Median weeks between booking and taking a test at West Didsbury (Manchester), October 2024 to September 2026
MonthWest Didsbury (Manchester)North WestGreat Britain
September 202619.912.611.6
August 202622.612.111.1
July 202622.612.711.1
June 202620.611.610.7
May 202619.410.09.7
April 202622.310.39.1
March 202619.39.19.0
February 202620.310.910.4
January 202613.110.310.1
December 202513.610.010.1
November 20258.19.110.4
October 202513.310.011.6
September 202514.310.612.4
August 202516.011.011.7
July 202515.911.912.0
June 202511.310.711.0
May 20257.311.311.3
April 20258.511.110.6
March 202513.311.610.4
February 202519.012.011.4
January 202517.711.011.0
December 20247.110.410.4
November 20248.710.19.9
October 202413.710.19.7

How far ahead people booked

Of tests taken at West Didsbury (Manchester) in September 2026, 32.0% had been booked within 7 weeks and 48.1% more than 21 weeks before.

  • Within 7 weeks
  • 7 to 14 weeks
  • 14 to 21 weeks
  • Over 21 weeks
West Didsbury (Manchester)
North West
Great Britain

At West Didsbury (Manchester), 32.0% of tests in September 2026 were booked within 7 weeks and 48.1% more than 21 weeks ahead.

Show these figures as a table
How far ahead tests taken in September 2026 were booked
Within 7 weeks7 to 14 weeks14 to 21 weeksOver 21 weeks
West Didsbury (Manchester)32.0%8.9%11.1%48.1%
North West39.4%13.8%19.7%27.1%
Great Britain41.1%14.2%15.2%29.5%

If your test is booked here

Since 9 June 2026 a car test can only be moved to one of the three centres DVSA lists as nearest by road (or back to the centre where you first booked), and you get two changes in total. For a test booked at West Didsbury (Manchester), those three are below. Of the three, Cheetham Hill (Manchester) (10 weeks), Bredbury (Manchester) (16.1 weeks) and Sale (Manchester) (18.3 weeks) had median waits at least a week shorter than West Didsbury (Manchester) in September 2026.

Centres a test booked at West Didsbury (Manchester) can be moved to
CentreDriving distance (DVSA)Median waitvs West Didsbury (Manchester)Pass rate 2025–26
Sale (Manchester)about 4 miles by roadabout 4 mi18.3 weeks−1.6 wk51.4%
Cheetham Hill (Manchester)about 7 miles by roadabout 7 mi10 weeks−9.9 wk44.7%
Bredbury (Manchester)about 7 miles by roadabout 7 mi16.1 weeks−3.8 wk56.0%

From DVSA's list of centres you can move your test to, which it says may change. The change service shows your actual options.

Pass rates

In 2025–26 (April 2025 to March 2026), 17,806 car tests were taken here and 47.7% passed, 2.3 points below the Great Britain rate (50.0%). The year before it was 50.9%, so the rate fell by 3.2 points. First attempts did about the same: 48.1% of 8,938 first-time candidates passed, and 3.4% did it with no faults at all.

  • West Didsbury (Manchester)
  • Great Britain average
  • All tests
    47.7%2.3 points below Great Britain (50.0%)
  • First attempts
    48.1%2.4 points below Great Britain (50.5%)
  • First attempt with zero faults
    3.4%about the same as Great Britain (2.9%)
  • Men
    50.3%about the same as Great Britain (50.8%)
  • Women
    44.7%4.4 points below Great Britain (49.1%)
  • 17-year-oldsGB figure is the sum of listed centres
    63.9%about the same as Great Britain (63.6%)
  • Automatic cars34% of tests here were in automatics
    43.1%1.5 points below Great Britain (44.6%)
Show these figures as a table
Pass rates at West Didsbury (Manchester) compared with Great Britain, 2025–26
MeasureWest Didsbury (Manchester)Great Britain
All tests47.7%50.0%
First attempts48.1%50.5%
First attempt with zero faults3.4%2.9%
Men50.3%50.8%
Women44.7%49.1%
17-year-olds63.9%63.6%
Automatic cars43.1%44.6%

Pass rate by year

  • West Didsbury (Manchester)
  • Great Britain
Car test pass rate at West Didsbury (Manchester) by financial yearPass rate at West Didsbury (Manchester) in 2025–26: 47.7%; Great Britain 50.0%.020406080100West Didsbury (Manchester), 2019–20: 43.8%44Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%2019–20West Didsbury (Manchester), 2020–21: 44.1%44Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%2020–21West Didsbury (Manchester), 2021–22: 47.9%48Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%2021–22West Didsbury (Manchester), 2022–23: 49.5%49Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%2022–23West Didsbury (Manchester), 2023–24: 51.5%51Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%2023–24West Didsbury (Manchester), 2024–25: 50.9%51Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%2024–25West Didsbury (Manchester), 2025–26: 47.7%48Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%2025–26Pass rate, %020406080100West Didsbury (Manchester), 2019–20: 43.8%44Great Britain, 2019–20: 45.9%’19West Didsbury (Manchester), 2020–21: 44.1%44Great Britain, 2020–21: 49.8%’20West Didsbury (Manchester), 2021–22: 47.9%48Great Britain, 2021–22: 48.9%’21West Didsbury (Manchester), 2022–23: 49.5%49Great Britain, 2022–23: 48.4%’22West Didsbury (Manchester), 2023–24: 51.5%51Great Britain, 2023–24: 47.9%’23West Didsbury (Manchester), 2024–25: 50.9%51Great Britain, 2024–25: 48.7%’24West Didsbury (Manchester), 2025–26: 47.7%48Great Britain, 2025–26: 50.0%’25Pass rate, %
Show these figures as a table
Car test pass rate at West Didsbury (Manchester) by financial year
YearWest Didsbury (Manchester)Great Britain
2019–2043.8%45.9%
2020–2144.1%49.8%
2021–2247.9%48.9%
2022–2349.5%48.4%
2023–2451.5%47.9%
2024–2550.9%48.7%
2025–2647.7%50.0%

Years run April to March; ’20 is 2020–21.

By age, 17 to 25 (2025–26)

Candidates aged 17 did best here, at 63.9%. Ages with fewer than 20 tests are left out; DVSA suppresses some small groups.

  • Age 1763.9% of 931
  • Age 1856.3% of 1,380
  • Age 1950.9% of 1,410
  • Age 2052.5% of 1,044
  • Age 2153.4% of 902
  • Age 2254.0% of 803
  • Age 2449.3% of 718
  • Age 2549.5% of 705

Tests cancelled by DVSA

In 2025–26 DVSA cancelled 1,679 tests at West Didsbury (Manchester), about 94.3 for every 1,000 tests taken (Great Britain: 50.7). The biggest reason was examiner illness (1,232). These are cancellations by DVSA, not by learners; DVSA should rebook you and may owe you expenses.

  • Examiner illness1,232
  • Examiner leave368
  • Weather and other acts of nature79

The nearest theory test centre

The closest theory test centre DVSA publishes figures for is Manchester (Suite 2, Ground Floor, Red Block 5, Universal Square, Devonshire Street North, Ardwick, M12 6JH), 3.7 mi away. In 2025–26, 42.4% of its 88,658 car theory tests were passes, 2.4 points below the Great Britain rate (44.8%). You can sit the theory test at any centre.

Nearby centres

The nearest centre with a shorter wait is Sale (Manchester), 2.5 mi away, at 18.3 weeks. Within the same list, Sale (Manchester) (2.5 mi) had a pass rate of 51.4%. You can book a new test at any centre in Great Britain, but once it's booked a car test can only be moved to the three centres DVSA names for that centre. Distances here are straight-line.

Centres near West Didsbury (Manchester), with median wait in September 2026 and 2025–26 pass rate
Centre24 months
Sale (Manchester)Shorter waitHigher pass rate2.5 mi18.3 weeks51.4%
Cheetham Hill (Manchester)Shorter wait5.3 mi10 weeks44.7%
Bredbury (Manchester)Shorter waitHigher pass rate5.5 mi16.1 weeks56.0%
ChaddertonShorter wait8.3 mi16.1 weeks46.8%
Bolton (Manchester)Shorter waitHigher pass rate12 mi12.4 weeks51.8%
Bury (Manchester)Shorter wait12 mi5.7 weeks46.3%
Atherton (Manchester)Shorter wait12 mi10 weeks44.3%
MacclesfieldShorter waitHigher pass rate13 mi16.4 weeks51.9%
  • This centre
  • Shorter wait
  • Other nearby
Sale (Manchester): 18.3 weeksCheetham Hill (Manchester): 10 weeksBredbury (Manchester): 16.1 weeksChadderton: 16.1 weeksBolton (Manchester): 12.4 weeksBury (Manchester): 5.7 weeksAtherton (Manchester): 10 weeksMacclesfield: 16.4 weeksWest Didsbury (Manchester)West Didsbury (Manchester)

Reading these figures

  • The waiting time is a median for tests taken that month: half of candidates booked closer to their test date, half further ahead. It is not the earliest date you could book today, which can be sooner when tests are cancelled or extra ones are added.
  • "Weeks to 10% availability" stops at 24 because DVSA only releases tests 24 weeks ahead. A figure of 24 means "24 or more".
  • DVSA marks figures from April 2025 onwards as provisional; they can be revised at the quarterly update.
  • Pass rates are published once a year; the latest cover April 2025 to March 2026. Waiting times are monthly, to September 2026.
  • The figures cover DVSA car tests only, not tests run by delegated examiners (such as some fleet and emergency service tests).

To book or move a test, use the official services: book your driving test or change your driving test on GOV.UK. DVSA explains when new tests are released. We have no link with DVSA and no access to its booking system.

Sources

DVSA, Driving test and theory test data: cars: tables DRT122F (waiting times), DRT121G (regional and national), DRT122A to DRT122E (pass rates), DRT122B (cancellations) and DRT112A (theory tests). Address and coordinates from GOV.UK's Find a driving test centre. Open Government Licence v3.0. Checked 3 November 2026.