Four in five people believe delivery robots could cause problems for blind people and pedestrians with mobility issues, according to a new poll commissioned by Living Streets.
The YouGov poll found that 80% of respondents believe the robots could cause problems for blind people, while 79% believe they could create difficulties for pedestrians with mobility issues. Among those who expressed a view, 60% said delivery robots should not be allowed to operate on pavements.
The findings have been released alongside a new campaign film from Living Streets, which is calling for delivery robots to be banned from pavements.
The charity says the devices are already appearing on streets in cities including Leeds, Reading, Cambridge and Bristol. It argues that they are operating without specific legislation governing their use and, in some cases, without consent from the local authority.
The film highlights concerns about the impact on people who are blind or visually impaired, wheelchair and mobility-aid users, and parents and carers walking with pushchairs or young children.
Living Streets trustee and disability campaigner Dr Amit Patel, who is registered severely sight impaired after losing his sight overnight in 2013, said the current pavement infrastructure was not suitable for the growing use of delivery robots.
“We don’t have the infrastructure for robots to be on our pavements and for people to get around safely at the same time. If you can see, walk or hear, you probably won’t be affected by delivery robots, but for those of us who’ve worked so hard to get our independence back, this is yet another hurdle.
“Some people tell me that it’s easier and safer to jump in a taxi and go to an out-of-town shopping centre than it is to visit their local high street because it’s just not safe. If we want to boost our local economies, we need to fix the legislation around delivery robots.”
Living Streets launched its Pavement Overload campaign in June to highlight concerns about the increasing use of delivery robots.
The Government has since said it intends to create a legal framework for the further rollout of the robots. Living Streets says that, in the meantime, unofficial trials are continuing, often without meaningful engagement with local communities.
The accessibility concerns extend beyond people with visual impairments. Ben Foley, campaigns and policy lead at Wheels for Wellbeing and a wheelchair user, said many pavements already fail to provide sufficient unobstructed space for disabled people.
He said: “For many people who use wheelchairs, tricycles, and mobility scooters to get around, too often there isn’t enough unobstructed width on the pavement.
“In some places pavement robots already create extra obstructions, as they try to get down pavements where there isn’t enough width for a wheelchair user to go the other way. If they are introduced more widely, there’s a real danger that large numbers of Disabled people will have our routes blocked, stopping us from getting to the bus stop, the local shops, our GP surgery, from taking our children to school, commuting, or making other journeys we need to.”
Living Streets says the issue is not simply about individual obstructions, but about ensuring pavements remain accessible to everyone. It is concerned that widespread use of delivery robots could make everyday journeys more difficult for disabled people and contribute to social isolation.
Tanya Braun, director of external affairs at Living Streets, said the companies operating the robots were currently doing so within what she described as a legal grey area.
“Our pavements are not for sale and should be for people. Delivery robots are putting pedestrians at risk and creating accessibility issues. The companies operating autonomous delivery robots in the UK are doing so within a legal grey area. They haven’t consulted with local communities who have legitimate concerns, as this new data shows.
“It’s concerning that these companies are selling a vision that you don’t need to leave your front door, that you’re better off and safer inside. Our pavements should be safe and accessible for everybody to walk and wheel. We need action now to make sure that delivery robots don’t force vulnerable members of society into isolation.”
Living Streets wants autonomous delivery robots to stop operating while there is no clear regulation and legislation governing their use. It is also making representations to the Government against legislation that would allow the robots to operate legally on streets under proposed new trials.
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