Fonthill test centre

Greenmachine

Hey guys I have my test coming up in a couple of weeks and I just have a ciuple of questions. My test is for 9:55 am on a weekday. I am coming from Leixlip. With traffic like it is what time would I need to leave at to get there in Time. Before 9am I am guessing.

Secondly I remember there being parking to the front of the building when my friend was having his NCT last week. There was a Q there waiting for the NCT looks like a n awkward spot to park drive out of starting the test.

Would the parking at side of the building where they bring your car after the NCT be considered reasonably close to begin the test from?

Lastly can anyone talk me through the routes used at Fonthill. Not sure whether time of day will have any impact on the route used. But all feedback suggestions are greatly appreciated.


Thanks in Advance
Green

red menace

I had my test in Fonthill last week.
I had it at 9.40 it was busy coming from town direction at that stage but a lot quieter by half 9.

The test route is huge could tell you the half of it.
Lots of roundabouts and a brief but exciting trip down the N4 on at liffey valley and off at Lucan exit.

Be careful taking the exit I got a grade 2 for slowing down too much coming onto it.
I was at the test centre about 20 mins before the test so I had no bother getting a spot. There was no room to park when I got back so ended up in the carpark across the road.
The space are narrow enough outside the test centre and not easy to get into takes a bit of maneuvering. Make sure to reverse in to the space.

Best of luck

Greenmachine

red menace wrote: »

I had my test in Fonthill last week.
I had it at 9.40 it was busy coming from town direction at that stage but a lot quieter by half 9.

The test route is huge could tell you the half of it.
Lots of roundabouts and a brief but exciting trip down the N4 on at liffey valley and off at Lucan exit.

Be careful taking the exit I got a grade 2 for slowing down too much coming onto it.
I was at the test centre about 20 mins before the test so I had no bother getting a spot. There was no room to park when I got back so ended up in the carpark across the road.
The space are narrow enough outside the test centre and not easy to get into takes a bit of maneuvering. Make sure to reverse in to the space.

Best of luck

Do you mean on the N4 just at the halting site and off at the exit before woodies. Please good I don't want to drive on the bypass at the moment what with the sausage shaped roundabout at the exit for superquinn/Penny hill. I figured I should reverse into the space before hand and drive into a space after the test. No point in feeling you have botched the test b4 you have started because of reverse out of a narrow spot.

red menace

sounds about right where we came on to N4,
didnt get as far as any roundabouts came off after bout five minutes on it.
Was very busy for merging was a right pain in the arse..

Also a word of warning the ramps on the way out to the main road is REALLY severe

Cassie1

Sent a PM with a Ex-tester's details. He's getting a bit of a reputation. Seems to have a great pass rate.

Greenmachine

red menace wrote: »

sounds about right where we came on to N4,
didnt get as far as any roundabouts came off after bout five minutes on it.
Was very busy for merging was a right pain in the arse..

Also a word of warning the ramps on the way out to the main road is REALLY severe

The steel ones near the security gate. Yeah they look pretty close together.

viboy

On the subject on Fonthill - can anyone recommend a driving instructor familiar with the route ?

Devia

Greenmachine wrote: »

Hey guys I have my test coming up in a couple of weeks and I just have a ciuple of questions. My test is for 9:55 am on a weekday. I am coming from Leixlip. With traffic like it is what time would I need to leave at to get there in Time. Before 9am I am guessing.

Secondly I remember there being parking to the front of the building when my friend was having his NCT last week. There was a Q there waiting for the NCT looks like a n awkward spot to park drive out of starting the test.

Would the parking at side of the building where they bring your car after the NCT be considered reasonably close to begin the test from?

Lastly can anyone talk me through the routes used at Fonthill. Not sure whether time of day will have any impact on the route used. But all feedback suggestions are greatly appreciated.


Thanks in Advance
Green

I would give yourself plenty of time. The N4 is a mess between Leixlip and Lucan at the moment with the never-ending development at the superquinn junction. Definitely leave before 9, theres no harm in getting there a bit early and relaxing for a while, maybe give yourself a chance to glance over theory/roadsigns. As for parking im almost certain its a one way system around the NCT centre so you can't drive into that area the way you mentioned, don't hold me to that though. As far as I know the times for the NCT and driving tests don't clash so the front parking bay should be handy enough anyway, they're supposed to be reserved for people doing the test.

Anyway I passed my test in Fonthill so I can give you one of the routes. Left retail park and took 2nd exit at the roundabout (straight). At the next roundabout took 1st exit and through an estate. Parked cars all over the place even on corners, tight junctions and ramps so take it easy. Emerged from the estate at the roundabout that leads into the ARC bar/Clarion Hotel and took a left heading for the main Liffey Valley roundabout. Took the 3rd exit off the roundabout onto the N4. Exit the N4 at the fox hunter pub, taking a left at the end. Straight down to next junction, left then left again into willsbrook estate. Did the reverse around corner near the green. Exited the estate going right and drove right around the back roads until we came to the junction at The Penny Hill pub. Went right here, up the ring road until the next junction where we took a left into Foxborough. Did the turnabout followed by hand signals and then the hillstart (the hill in foxborough is basically the only one they use). Out of foxborough and hit the balgaddy road, took a left at the big junction onto fonthill road and back to the test centre.

viboy wrote: »

On the subject on Fonthill - can anyone recommend a driving instructor familiar with the route ?

I did 2 pre-tests with <SNIP>, they operate from the fonthill retail park so they know all the routes. Would recommend.

Greenmachine

Thanks a million for the excellent walkthrough. :pac:

Devia wrote: »

I would give yourself plenty of time. The N4 is a mess between Leixlip and Lucan at the moment with the never-ending development at the superquinn junction. Definitely leave before 9, theres no harm in getting there a bit early and relaxing for a while, maybe give yourself a chance to glance over theory/roadsigns. As for parking im almost certain its a one way system around the NCT centre so you can't drive into that area the way you mentioned, don't hold me to that though. As far as I know the times for the NCT and driving tests don't clash so the front parking bay should be handy enough anyway, they're supposed to be reserved for people doing the test.

Anyway I passed my test in Fonthill so I can give you one of the routes. Left retail park and took 2nd exit at the roundabout (straight). At the next roundabout took 1st exit and through an estate. Parked cars all over the place even on corners, tight junctions and ramps so take it easy. Emerged from the estate at the roundabout that leads into the ARC bar/Clarion Hotel and took a left heading for the main Liffey Valley roundabout. Took the 3rd exit off the roundabout onto the N4. Exit the N4 at the fox hunter pub, taking a left at the end. Straight down to next junction, left then left again into willsbrook estate. Did the reverse around corner near the green. Exited the estate going right and drove right around the back roads until we came to the junction at The Penny Hill pub. Went right here, up the ring road until the next junction where we took a left into Foxborough. Did the turnabout followed by hand signals and then the hillstart (the hill in foxborough is basically the only one they use). Out of foxborough and hit the balgaddy road, took a left at the big junction onto fonthill road and back to the test centre.



I did 2 pre-tests with <SNIP>, they operate from the fonthill retail park so they know all the routes. Would recommend.

sillymoo

Passed my test there in Fonthill on Tuesday had no major problems with it. Just watch the speed limit signs and beware there are a lot of roundabouts!

I <SNIP>

Alanstrainor

Please use the PM function to recommend instructors!
Or else i'll have to bring out the banning stick!
Cheers

Devia

Greenmachine wrote: »

Thanks a million for the excellent walkthrough. :pac:

No problem, hope it helps in some way

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Please use the PM function to recommend instructors!
Or else i'll have to bring out the banning stick!
Cheers

My bad, thought that rule was to prevent instructors plugging themselves on these boards. Didn't know it applied to something as broad as a driving school.

viboy if you didn't catch that let me know and ill throw you a PM