Following the closure of Town Quay in late 2018, Tanner Street has stood as Barking’s only remaining test centre. One of the more unusual test centres in the capital, Tanner Street test centre is found in a converted terraced house. Figuring out why the DVSA selected this location, however, isn’t too difficult, as the surrounding area provides exactly the kind of challenging road conditions to put candidates through their paces on the practical test.

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To begin with, the test centre lies roughly in between two A roads: the A123 and A124. Then, on the approach to nearby Barking town centre, drivers also come across features such as a multi-lane roundabout, a number of different types of pedestrian crossings, and several bus stops. Not much further away is the North Circular Road, which carries a much faster 50 mph speed limit.

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If you’re arriving in the area by public transport, you’ll be happy to learn that the test centre lies just 8 minutes’ walk from the Barking railway station. This makes it easy to reach from across the Barking and Dagenham area, as well as from further afield. If arriving by road, expect to travel along the aforementioned North Circular, or the A13 to the south of Barking itself.