A new drive-through coronavirus testing facility will open at Poppleton Park&Ride in York, it has been revealed.

The Government says the new facility is part of a UK-wide drive to increase testing for thousands more NHS and other key workers.

The site sits alongside a network of testing sites being set up around the UK, and is operating on an appointment-only basis for NHS staff and other key workers. The facility will be piloted for its first few days of operation.

The testing centre is being operated in partnership with Serco and Boots, and will offer assisted and self-administered tests. Those tested will receive their results within a few days.

Richard Flinton, chair of North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum said: “The centre serving North Yorkshire LRF area will be a hugely valuable asset in the region’s fight against the impact of coronavirus – particularly in helping critical key workers, like health and social care staff, return to work.

“Making sure these front line staff can support their NHS partners with hospital discharges and residential care providers with managing admissions to care homes as well being able to continue to provide important safeguarding roles is essential. The work they do is saving lives and protecting the health services and the public.

“The fact that the facility will also allow a broad range of other LRF partners access to testing including we hope police and fire officers, without really long round trips, is also very welcome.”

Marc Bichtemann, managing director of First York, which provides bus services on the Park&Ride network in partnership with City of York Council, said: “We are working closely with the council to enable key workers to travel during the fight against coronavirus and helping to make this site available for testing is another way we can support them to be at work or stay safe.”

Councillor Keith Aspden, Leader of City of York Council, said: “Key workers in York and across the country are doing an incredible job to save lives and help the people of York.

“We want to help them where we can and have worked closely with the Department for Health and Social Care and the Local Resilience Forum to open up a new testing centre so that key workers and their families can get the tests they need so they can continue their invaluable work.

“I would like to thank First for their help with this in offering a location for the testing to take place. This is yet another example of the city coming together during this coronavirus outbreak.”

Kevin Craven, Serco CEO for UK and Europe, said he was pleased to be supporting the Government and the NHS in setting up and managing the new testing centre in York.

He added: “I would like to pay tribute to my colleagues who have worked extremely fast and professionally, and with the other organisations involved, to set up these centres having deployed from other roles within Serco. I know that they are proud to be doing their part in helping the country tackle coronavirus”

A Boots UK spokesperson said: “Some of our colleagues have already stepped forward to volunteer to run this COVID-19 testing station, which will start testing its first critical workers on Sunday.”

The Government said the new site follows the launch of its partnership with universities, research institutes and companies to begin rollout of a network of new labs and field testing sites across the UK, with 28 regional testing sites opened to date.

It says the network will provide thousands more PCR swab tests - which are used to identify if you currently have the virus - for critical key workers, starting with NHS front line staff.

It hopes the tests will mean those who test negative for coronavirus can return to work as soon as possible, and those who test positive are able to recover.