Drivers coming from London should take the M11 and leave at Junction 8, then follow the A120 towards Bishops Stortford, watching for the brown signs to Stansted Airport as a nearby landmark. Trains from London Liverpool Street run regularly and take around 40 minutes, arriving at Bishops Stortford station. For anyone flying in, Stansted Airport is close by, roughly a 15-minute taxi ride from the town. Candidates travelling from nearby towns can use local Arriva bus services, though it’s worth checking timetables in advance since frequency varies by route. Parking in the town centre is available at Jackson Square Shopping Centre, and side streets sometimes offer further options if that’s full. The town’s older buildings and market square are useful orientation points once you’re on foot, and a cycle route along the River Stort towpath offers a quieter way in for anyone approaching on two wheels.
However you arrive, bring your provisional licence and get to the centre at least 15 minutes ahead of your appointment. Since 12 May 2026, only the candidate themselves can book or manage their DVSA practical test, so if a parent or instructor originally set up the booking, make sure the account now sits in your name before test day. An LPOD intensive course for a Bishops Stortford test usually covers the A120’s dual-carriageway sections and the roundabouts around the airport approach roads, since those come up often on routes from this centre. Because many learners here are juggling college, work or exam timetables, it’s also worth reading LPOD’s guide to learner driver insurance ahead of your first lesson, so cover is sorted before intensive practice begins in earnest. Because Stansted Airport traffic can spike unpredictably around flight schedules, it’s worth building extra time into your journey even if the roads look clear on a map beforehand. A mock test towards the end of an LPOD intensive course, run across the A120 corridor and the streets nearer the industrial estate, helps candidates get a feel for that traffic pattern before it matters on the real day. The industrial estate itself is a mix of small units and open yards, so once you’re off the A120 the pace slows considerably, giving you a moment to settle before pulling in.
Page reviewed and updated 17 July 2026.