Living Streets has launched a new campaign highlighting concerns over the increasing use of autonomous delivery robots on pavements, warning that their operation is outpacing the development of clear legislation and raising safety and accessibility issues for pedestrians.
The charity’s Pavement Overload campaign claims delivery robots are already operating in locations including Sheffield, Leeds, Reading, Cambridge and Bristol, despite there being no explicit legal framework governing their use. According to Living Streets, some deployments have also taken place without the consent of the relevant local authority.
The campaign follows an open letter sent on 26 June to the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, calling on the government to clarify the legal status of delivery robots and introduce national regulations.
Living Streets argues that pavements should remain spaces designed primarily for people, particularly those who rely on them most. The charity says delivery robots add to an already growing list of obstacles that can make walking or wheeling more difficult for disabled people and others with mobility impairments.
Catherine Woodhead, chief executive of Living Streets, said the organisation is concerned that the robots are operating on public pavements without clear legal authority.
She said: “At Living Streets, we believe that pavements are for people, and the operation of robots puts the safety of pedestrians at risk – particularly for those with mobility issues.
“Our pavements are already lousy with dangerous obstacles, from pavement parking to wheelie bins, preventing many disabled people from leaving their homes.
“It’s also deeply concerning that delivery robots are allowed to operate on pavements with no authority – something that would be unthinkable for a vehicle on our roads. Living Streets is calling on the government not to legalise delivery robots – and to put a stop to the pavement overload.”
The charity points to international examples where some cities in the United States and Canada have restricted or banned delivery robots following reports of collisions with pedestrians, obstruction of footways and other safety concerns. It says the robots can travel at speeds of up to 4mph and may behave unpredictably in busy pedestrian environments.
Supporting the campaign, Navi Sunnia, senior engagement officer at Transport for All, said the introduction of delivery robots risks creating further barriers for disabled people.
Navi said: “We should all be able to move through our streets with confidence. For disabled people, that means safe, well maintained and predictable routes for everyday journeys, and it means streets that are free from clutter.
“Street obstacles like badly parked cars, bins, A-boards, e-scooters and bikes already stop many of us from walking or wheeling safely. Delivery robots risk adding yet another barrier – one that can move into your path, stop without warning, or leave disabled people without enough space to get past safely.
“Government, local authorities and companies need to listen to disabled people’s experiences and make sure our public spaces are for people first. If robots can roam our streets freely but disabled people can’t, we’ve got our priorities badly wrong.”
Living Streets is calling on the government to establish a clear legal position on pavement-based delivery robots and to ensure pedestrian safety and accessibility remain at the heart of future policy decisions.
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