Key facts
- Delivery robots are increasingly common on UK pavements, with trials in multiple cities.
- Supporters emphasize benefits for vulnerable populations, job creation, and cost reduction for businesses.
- Opponents highlight safety and accessibility issues for pedestrians, particularly those with mobility or visibility impairments.
- A lack of clear national regulation creates legal uncertainty and leaves decisions to local authorities.
- Some US and Canadian cities have banned delivery robots due to safety and obstruction concerns.
The UK is grappling with how to regulate delivery robots operating on its pavements, a technology that has become increasingly visible in cities across the country.
Proponents, such as Rory Daniels of TechUK, argue that these robots represent a significant step forward in mobility technology, offering crucial support to vulnerable and home-bound individuals by facilitating low-emission deliveries of shopping and medicine. They also point to the creation of high-quality jobs in manufacturing, maintenance, and deployment, as well as benefits for independent businesses and restaurants seeking to lower costs and reach new customers.
However, critics, including Catherine Woodhead, chief executive of Living Streets, raise serious concerns about the safety and accessibility of pavements for pedestrians. They argue that robots pose a danger to older and disabled people, as well as parents with buggies, by adding another obstacle to already cluttered pavements. Reports from the US and Canada, where similar robots have been banned, cite incidents of robots injuring people and dogs, and obstructing pathways.
The current legal landscape in the UK is described as a "grey area," with a 200-year-old law intended for horse-drawn carriages failing to adequately address modern delivery robots. This lack of clear national regulation leaves local authorities to make unilateral decisions, creates investment uncertainty for operators, and leaves the public without guaranteed protection. A survey by Cambridgeshire County Council, however, indicated strong public support, with 93% of residents liking or loving their local pavement robots.
Starship Technologies, a key player in the market, notes that 25% of its regular customers have a disability or live with someone who does, suggesting that the services are indeed beneficial to those who need them most. Yet, the sheer number of robots on pathways remains a concern for those with mobility issues.
The government is reportedly considering categorizing delivery robots similarly to e-scooters, a move that critics believe will still leave significant regulatory gaps regarding issues like the number of robots, their speed, and their design. In response to the complexities, City AM has proposed the creation of a dedicated "robot lane" on pavements, which could also potentially be used by slow walkers, as a way to mitigate some of the current problems.