Drive-through virus set at former Poole park-and-ride
A drive-through coronavirus testing site is being built in Poole.
The former park-and-ride facility at Creekmoor is expected to open next week to test NHS staff, care staff and key workers with symptoms in Dorset. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) council leader Vicki Slade said she was "relived" to have local drive-through testing in place. There had been criticism that people had been asked to travel 120 miles (190km) to a centre at Gatwick. "These people have been putting themselves at risk for weeks, it is outrageous that it has taken this long to get any testing going," said Ms Slade. "The council have done everything we can to facilitate this and get it up and running as quickly as physically possible." The Creekmoor site is one of a network of about 50 testing sites across England being operated by the Department of Health and Social Care. The government previously described the rollout of sites as "the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities in British history" which would "rapidly scale up" testing. The site had previously been proposed as a location for a temporary site for travellers. It had also been identified as a lorry-holding area for the Port of Poole in the event of delays and disruption to freight caused by the UK leaving the EU. The council said the site would be fully enclosed with round-the-clock security and screening to protect the privacy of those being tested. Those eligible will need to book appointments.