New Covid testing centre for train staff at Brighton Station

The centre has been set up within the adapted Southern Railway train currently docked at platform eight.

This is one of three new centres set up by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), operator of Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express, as it seeks to offer staff twice-weekly rapid lateral flow tests.

There is a new coronavirus testing centre for railway staff inside a train at Brighton Station Credit: GTR/Peter Alvey

There is a new coronavirus testing centre for railway staff inside a train at Brighton Station Credit: GTR/Peter Alvey

The other two centres are at the GTR office in East Croydon and the engineering depot in Hornsey. It is believed that 1,250 staff will benefit from the rapid tests, which take less than four minutes and provide results via text in under an hour. There is potential to expand the scheme if it proves successful.

The move comes as part of a government intiative to help stop the spread of coronavirus and provide reassurance to railway staff who are unable to work from home, as well as passengers using rail services.

GTR Head of Safety and Health Mark Whitley said: “One in three people with Covid show no symptoms. These tests are the latest in a long line of measures we’ve been taking to protect our colleagues and will help identify carriers before they have the potential to infect others.

There is a new coronavirus testing centre for railway staff inside a train at Brighton Station Credit: GTR/Peter Alvey

"It will help prevent workplace outbreaks and give our staff and passengers added reassurance."

The government is currently offering businesses two asymptomatic rapid lateral flow tests per week for each employee unable to work from home.

The Prime Minister last week announced this scheme will be extended until the end of June, a GTR spokesman said.

There is a new coronavirus testing centre for railway staff inside a train at Brighton Station Credit: GTR/Peter Alvey

Robert Nisbet, director of nations and regions for the rail delivery group which represents the rail industry, said: "Implementing the use of lateral flow testing will help identify asymptomatic carriers of Covid-19.

"Alongside train operators’ enhanced cleaning, this is helping to make work safer for our people and ensure those who need to travel can do so with confidence."

GTR currently sanitises each of its 2,700 railway carriages each night and uses "long-lasting viricide" to clean trains and facilities across its network.

There is a new coronavirus testing centre for railway staff inside a train at Brighton Station Credit: GTR/Peter Alvey

More than 1,000 automatic hand sanitiser dispensers have been installed at stations across the South East since last March and a staff app has been developed to monitor passenger volumes to identify ‘hotspots’ across the GTR network.

A team of GTR inspectors carry out regular Covid assurance checks and the use of smartphone e-tickets has been extended to help everyone socially distance.