Starship Technologies’ delivery robot service in Milton Keynes could soon move onto pavements nationwide under wider new laws. The robots have been on the streets there since 2018. For residents who already rely on them, the change could make a local convenience a much broader part of UK delivery.
Amrita Singh and the five-minute drop-off
Amrita Singh has often used the robots in Milton Keynes. She said, “It’s a wonderful experience,” and added, “It has proved to be very useful for me, particularly when my husband travels for work and I’m alone with the kids.”
She also said, “It’s a very good gadget for people who are not able to go out of the house due to illness or because of the kids.” A Starship robot delivered shopping to her property in five minutes.
Google Maps puts the walk to her property at seven minutes. It says the bicycle ride would take three minutes. The robot moved at about 4 miles an hour, or 6.5kph.
Milton Keynes and other UK cities
The robots carry Co-op orders around Milton Keynes. They have also been used in Wakefield, Leeds and Bristol. That makes the pavement decision bigger than one city, because the same system is already moving beyond its original test ground.
The robots used radars, cameras, sensors and AI to sense obstacles. They carefully ventured through crossings and dodged oncoming pedestrians. They also waited for a mum with a pram and two children to pass before continuing.
Living Streets safety concerns
Catherine Woodhead, chief executive of Living Streets, said the robots are “causing chaos for pedestrians despite having no clear laws for their use.” The caution is sharper because disability access has already been part of this story. In 2019, the University of Pittsburgh paused testing of Starship robots after a doctoral student who uses a wheelchair said she was trapped by one when it blocked her from reaching the pavement via an accessible ramp.
The immediate question now is what exact national rules on micromobility vehicles will allow on pavements if the new laws go ahead. Until that is spelled out, the practical details that matter to pedestrians, wheelchair users and delivery customers still sit with the government decision.
