Robot delivery scheme likely to expand in city

A supermarket delivery service that uses robots to drop off food at customers' homes has covered 36,000 miles in Leeds.

Leeds City Council said the distance was equivalent to more than 22,000 car miles - and the average robot delivery used as much energy as boiling the kettle for a single cup of tea.

The trial scheme is a partnership between the council, Co-op and Starship Technologies that started in 2022 in a bid to reduce emissions.

However, one councillor argued the robots could have a "negative economic impact" on retailers as the machines are not big enough to do a weekly shop.

A council report also said the robots have saved around 6,000kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) and new pilots could be launched in partnership with the University of Leeds and logistics firm Evri.

The white, six-wheeled machines travel on pavements, can navigate around obstacles and travel at human walking pace - no faster than 4mph (6km/h).

They were even dressed as reindeer over Christmas 2022, the year they launched.

The report added: "The expansion of the Starship trial service in areas throughout Leeds has been approved to support future growth in this sector over the next few years.

"The transport strategy team is initiating talks with potential providers to explore support for upcoming trials."

But Ryan Stephenson, Conservative councillor for Harewood, pointed out: "You can't do your weekly shop in them.

"I suspect people are sat on their couches, ordering pasties and a bottle of pop and paying extra for the privilege."

He added: "What they are not doing is going to the shop and supermarket, and while they are there calling at the other shops and the high street and spending."

The service is currently only available in north and east Leeds with Co-op stores in Adel, Tinshill, Kippax and Swarcliffe involved in the scheme.

The report also said the initiative was still at the trial stage because the government did not yet allow robots to permanently use public highways, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Wakefield Council has also teamed up with Co-op and Starship Technologies to offer the service to 13,000 residents of Outwood.

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