New Covid-19 testing centre will mean patients from Hartlepool will no longer have to travel to Tyneside or beyond

MP Mike Hill said the facility at a former Sainsbury’s supermarket in the Middlehaven area of Middlesbrough just off the A66 was ‘long overdue’ and means people will no longer have to travel miles to get tested.

Until now, the nearest permanent testing sites have been in Gateshead, Penrith and York.

Local MPs, council leaders, police and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen have been calling for such a facility closer to home for some time.

Mr Hill said: “There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that establishing a permanent testing facility on Teesside is the right thing to do.

“The ‘R’ rate in some parts of the area, especially Middlesbrough, remains above 1 and we need a facility that is accessible and big enough to cope with the capacity of testing needed and act as a base for track and trace plus outreach and mobile testing services.”

He said pop up testing sites at Redcar Racecourse, Teesside Retail Park and the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Hartlepool have been a credit to all organisations involved, but they have only been occasional.

“Thankfully the people of Hartlepool will no longer need to travel to Gateshead or further afield in order to get tested for Covid-19 in between pop up sites, which rightfully they deserve,” added Mr Hill.

Mayor Houchen said he is pleased the Government had listened adding: “It is vital that people in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool have access to testing locally so that they know whether they, or members of their family, have coronavirus.

“This enables them to take steps to look after themselves, protect others and know if they are fit to return to work, and ultimately, help to reduce the spread of the virus across our region.”

Mike Hill said his chief concern now was for those without access to a vehicle, those shielding or in care homes, and is lobbying for mobile testing to be part of the package delivered from the Teesside site.

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