Trial of food delivery robots begins in Cambridge

A pilot scheme for robot deliveries has begun in some parts of Cambridge

A second trial of food delivery robots has begun in a county after a council gave it the go-ahead.

Starship Technologies will run the scheme in Cambridge on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council, despite some green access campaigners objecting.

The company began robot deliveries in the village of Cambourne in May.

County councillor Alex Beckett said the robots will help people "who struggle to leave their houses to go shopping".

Cambridgeshire County Council wants to take the trial into parts of Cambridge city

The Cambourne trial, which was widely supported, has seen robots making short deliveries of hot and cold food, ordered through an app.

But CamCycle, which promotes greener access, said the scheme would not work in Cambridge's already congested streets.

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Mr Beckett, chair of Cambridgeshire County Council's highways and transport committee, said the robots would help reduce the number of short car trips to shops.

He said: "This is just another step towards a cleaner more sustainable future."

The trial will be available to 12,200 people in Cherry Hinton, Queen Edith, and parts of the Romsey and Coleridge areas of Cambridge.