ENGLAND SET TO LEGALIZE DELIVERY ROBOTS ON PAVEMENTS

The government's expected support for legal changes would permit autonomous delivery vehicles to expand across towns and cities, primarily handling groceries and takeaway food orders. Currently, only a handful of locations operate these robots under unclear regulatory conditions. The proposed law change would formalize their use and scale deployment significantly. Safety campaigners have raised concerns about the plan, citing already crowded pavements in urban areas. They worry that widespread robot deployment could create additional hazards for pedestrians, particularly vulnerable groups like children and elderly people. The robots typically operate at low speeds, but questions remain about their interaction with foot traffic and potential obstruction of public spaces. The government has signalled support for the change, though formal details about safety requirements and deployment limits have not been disclosed. The shift would modernize transport regulations that have governed England's streets for nearly two centuries.