Walk-in coronavirus test centres are being trialled in six areas in England

Walk-in coronavirus test centres are being planned to open in vacant shops, car parks – and a basketball court.

Six walk-in centres are being trialled in Newcastle, Rochdale, Leeds, Brent, Newham and Slough.

The exact location of the centres has not been confirmed by officials but one is understood to be on a basketball court, and there have been reports they will spring up in empty shops and car parks.

A source at the Department of Health and Social Care said officials were working on “walk through testing sites in England for people without cars”.

The source said that previously the push was to have testing sites out of the way so there were not “huge” numbers of potentially infected people travelling into the centre of towns.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock welcomed the opening of six new walk through testing sites – urging the whole country to get tested.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the number of mobile testing units was set to double to 236 by the end of July.

And new priority postboxes will be set up for at-home tests by 3 July.

Mr Hancock said: “It has never been easier to get a free coronavirus test, and our new walk-in centres are yet another way to get one.

“If you have symptoms, however mild, please get tested now to help stop the spread of the virus and protect the people around you.

“The biggest network of diagnostic testing in UK history is ready and able to offer a test to anyone, anywhere in the country. In England, NHS Test and Trace is there to help those testing positive to trace their recent contacts and advise those at risk to stay at home, ultimately saving lives.

“It is encouraging to see transmission of the virus is going down, but we all still have a part to play to limit this further. Getting tested as soon as you develop symptoms is an essential step to protect the most vulnerable and help us to safely ease lockdown measures.”

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We have already been setting up mobile testing units to serve communities where needed.

“We want to ensure testing is available in places which are accessible and work for the public across the country.”

And they said the “right guidance and advice” would be available to ensure safety at the centres.

‘Major concerns’ remained over the Government’s coronavirus test and trace system last night as the government revealed a quarter of people who test positive are not contacted.

The latest figures show 24% of people (5,062) who tested positive for Covid-19 between May 28 to June 17 and who had been transferred to the tracing system were not reached.

Shadow health minister Justin Madders said the latest Test and Trace figures raise “major concerns”.

He said: “To have a quarter of those who test positive not contacted three weeks into the ‘world-beating’ system is not good enough and urgently needs to be addressed.

“Expert opinion shows that to defeat this virus we need a fully functioning test and trace system, so these latest figures still raise major concerns the week before lockdown measures are eased further, especially without a working app.”

The 24% figure includes people who the service was unable to reach because there had been no response to text, email and call reminders.

It also includes people who were reached but refused to give details of close contacts.

Another 681 people, 3% of the total, did not provide contact details when they were tested.

A total of 20,968 people who tested positive for Covid-19 in England had their case transferred to the contact tracing system during the first three weeks of its operation, according to figures from the Department of Health & Social Care.

Of this total, 15,225 people (73%) were reached and asked to provide details of recent contacts.

Mr Madders said: “It is staggering that hundreds of people are not submitting their details into the system in the first place.

“Surely that should be one simple thing that can be fixed.

“Ministers need to level with the public about how they are going to tackle these real and serious issues as a matter of urgency.”

Boris Johnson promised a “world-beating” test and trace system would be up and running by the beginning of this month (JUNE).

And Matt Hancock promised a test and trace app would be up and running by the middle of May.

The original version of the NHSX app, on which £12 million had already been spent, was scrapped last week.

The Health Secretary has refused to put a date on when a working version will be available.

“The app is progressing and we will launch it when the time is right. I am not going to put a date on it,” Mr Hancock told an online technology conference on Wednesday.

Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said the figures were “concerning.”

He added: “Those testing positive for the virus have a responsibility to help halt its transmission and protect those most at risk, including older people and those who are most vulnerable.”