Most of the A55 is open to learner drivers, which is why so many lessons around Bangor and Anglesey include dual carriageway practice. There is one important exception: the stretch between Llanddulas and Conwy Morfa. This guide explains exactly where the restriction applies, how to plan around it, and what to do if you ever find yourself heading into it by mistake.
1The restricted stretch: Junction 23 to Junction 17
Learner drivers must not drive on the A55 between Junction 23 at Llanddulas and Junction 17 at Conwy Morfa.
• Junction 23 is the Llanddulas end. • Junction 17 is the Conwy Morfa end. • The restriction applies in both directions, eastbound and westbound. • You must not join the restricted section partway along it.
In practice this means planning your route before you set off, so you leave the A55 before Llanddulas when heading west, or join it after Conwy Morfa once you are clear of the restricted stretch.
The restriction is about your provisional licence, not about who is sitting beside you. An approved instructor and dual controls do not make this section legal for a learner.
2Why the restriction exists
The A55 is a special road rather than a motorway, and special road rules set out which classes of traffic may use each section. The Llanddulas to Conwy Morfa stretch is restricted for provisional licence holders.
That is why the same rule applies whether you are on a lesson with DMJ, practising with a parent, or following a sat nav that has no idea what kind of licence you hold. It is not a matter of experience or confidence: it is simply not a road a learner may use.
3Where learners can still use the A55
The restriction covers only that one section. Learners can use the A55 west of Conwy Morfa all the way through to Bangor, which is the stretch most DMJ pupils practise on, and they can use the road east of Llanddulas through to Queensferry.
Do take extra care on the slip roads along that eastern stretch. Some are short, particularly around Llanddulas and Bodelwyddan, so you need good observation and to match your speed to the traffic already on the carriageway before you join.
💡 Tips
- •If your lesson is based in Bangor or on Anglesey, the A55 towards Conwy is fine up to Conwy Morfa.
- •Heading east from Anglesey, plan to leave at Llanddulas rather than carrying on towards Colwyn Bay.
- •Ask your instructor to talk you through the route before you drive it, so the exits are not a surprise.
4Planning the route before the lesson starts
Sat nav systems pick the fastest route, not the legal one. None of them know that the driver holds a provisional licence, so a route that looks perfect can quietly send you onto the restricted section.
Check the journey yourself before you set off. If the plan involves the A55 between Llanddulas and Conwy Morfa, choose a different route through the coastal towns instead, and decide where you will leave and rejoin the dual carriageway. Making that decision in advance is far easier than trying to divert once you are already committed to a junction.
The person supervising the drive is responsible for choosing a lawful route, whether that is an instructor or a friend or family member.
5If you enter the restricted section by mistake
It can happen, usually because a sat nav said so. The priority is to stay calm, keep the car under control and avoid anything sudden.
Keep driving normally, take clear directions from whoever is supervising, and leave the A55 at the next safe and lawful opportunity.
Do not stop in a live lane, do not reverse, do not use an emergency area unless there is a genuine emergency, and do not attempt a late, sharp exit. A longer route is always better than an unsafe manoeuvre.
💡 Tips
- •Keep your speed steady and your lane position normal while you look for the next exit.
- •Agree with your supervisor before the lesson what you would do in this situation.
6You can still practise high-speed driving
Missing out on one stretch of the A55 does not hold back your dual carriageway experience. All the skills examiners and everyday driving ask for can be practised on other suitable roads.
• Joining and leaving: assessing gaps, using acceleration lanes and matching the speed of faster traffic. • Lane discipline: observation, safe following distances, overtaking and returning to the left lane. • Planning ahead: reading route signs, junction numbers and choosing your lane early.
DMJ lessons around Bangor and Anglesey regularly cover all of this on the unrestricted parts of the A55 and on other dual carriageways.
Learners can legally use the A55 from Conwy Morfa through to Bangor, and from Llanddulas east to Queensferry. Only the Llanddulas to Conwy Morfa section is off limits.