{"id":"1d194529-24c1-420d-b067-9b25d1e48dc5","slug":"uk-pavement-delivery-robots-legal-status","kind":"operational_restriction","headline":"UK pavement delivery robots: no specific legislation; operation by local-authority partnership, with trials planned under the Regulating for Growth Bill","summary":"There is no specific UK legislation for pavement delivery robots. Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835 makes it an offence to ride, lead or drive vehicles and animals on a footpath or causeway by the side of a road, which campaigners cite as the main legal obstacle. The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 does not provide a route: its authorisation power (section 3) applies to road vehicles assessed for travel on a road. In a written answer of 15 July 2026 (UIN 17119), the Department for Transport said the government intends to trial pavement robots using powers sought through the Regulating for Growth Bill, that pedestrian safety must come first, and that no permanent regulations will come into force without detailed public consultation. Retail Gazette reported on 29 June 2026 that the DfT had said there is no specific legislation for delivery robots and that ministers would pursue micromobility reform when parliamentary time allows. Status: no national authorisation regime; trial powers sought in a bill (stage not verified). Applicability: sidewalk delivery robots in the UK operate in partnership with local authorities rather than under a statutory permit. Verified on 2026-10-26.","locationId":"84e0a0ff-62f3-4522-b9c6-30c1ed454ad2","effectiveAt":null,"expiresAt":null,"reviewStatus":"unreviewed","formFactors":["delivery","sidewalk"],"jurisdiction":"UK","complianceDeadline":null,"enforcementEvents":null,"aliases":[],"collisionRisk":"none","reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-10-26T19:59:38.388Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-26T20:00:34.944Z","location":{"id":"84e0a0ff-62f3-4522-b9c6-30c1ed454ad2","name":"United Kingdom","slug":"united-kingdom","kind":"country","parentLocationId":null,"region":"Western Europe","lat":55.3781,"lng":-3.436,"reviewStatus":"reviewed","aliases":["UK","Britain","Great Britain"],"collisionRisk":"high","reviewNote":null,"createdAt":"2026-05-31T04:22:22.268Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-09T01:55:24.321Z"},"derived":{"status":"in_effect"},"sources":[{"id":"7a9595fa-216a-4a30-b6f0-d47e71537989","regulationId":"1d194529-24c1-420d-b067-9b25d1e48dc5","url":"https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2026/06/delivery-robots-could-be-heading-for-englands-pavements-under-new-law-change/","label":"Delivery robots could be heading for England's pavements under new law change","publishedAt":"2026-06-29T00:00:00.000Z","notes":null,"title":"Delivery robots could be heading for England's pavements under new law change","sourceName":"Retail Gazette","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-10-26T19:59:41.400Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-26T19:59:41.400Z"},{"id":"1f34c111-8d73-4f48-b102-6827bfc13af2","regulationId":"1d194529-24c1-420d-b067-9b25d1e48dc5","url":"https://questions-statements-api.parliament.uk/api/writtenquestions/questions/1925751","label":"Written question UIN 17119: autonomous pavement robots and disabled people (answered 15 July 2026)","publishedAt":"2026-07-15T00:00:00.000Z","notes":null,"title":"Written question UIN 17119: autonomous pavement robots and disabled people (answered 15 July 2026)","sourceName":"UK Parliament (Department for Transport answer)","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-10-26T19:59:39.163Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-26T19:59:39.163Z"},{"id":"c498818c-c053-4a7b-bd32-681a43c4f056","regulationId":"1d194529-24c1-420d-b067-9b25d1e48dc5","url":"https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Will4/5-6/50/section/72","label":"Highway Act 1835, section 72","publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"Highway Act 1835, section 72","sourceName":"legislation.gov.uk","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-10-26T19:59:39.892Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-26T19:59:39.892Z"},{"id":"eed32d0d-09c2-4cf0-91ae-b0f9b76492b8","regulationId":"1d194529-24c1-420d-b067-9b25d1e48dc5","url":"https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/10/section/3","label":"Automated Vehicles Act 2024, section 3: power to authorise","publishedAt":null,"notes":null,"title":"Automated Vehicles Act 2024, section 3: power to authorise","sourceName":"legislation.gov.uk","mediaType":"article","videoId":null,"channel":null,"durationSec":null,"timestampSec":null,"createdAt":"2026-10-26T19:59:40.665Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-26T19:59:40.665Z"}],"statusEvents":[],"jsonLd":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Legislation","@id":"https://registry.deploy.report/regulations/uk-pavement-delivery-robots-legal-status","url":"https://registry.deploy.report/regulations/uk-pavement-delivery-robots-legal-status","name":"UK pavement delivery robots: no specific legislation; operation by local-authority partnership, with trials planned under the Regulating for Growth Bill","description":"There is no specific UK legislation for pavement delivery robots. Section 72 of the Highway Act 1835 makes it an offence to ride, lead or drive vehicles and animals on a footpath or causeway by the side of a road, which campaigners cite as the main legal obstacle. The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 does not provide a route: its authorisation power (section 3) applies to road vehicles assessed for travel on a road. In a written answer of 15 July 2026 (UIN 17119), the Department for Transport said the government intends to trial pavement robots using powers sought through the Regulating for Growth Bill, that pedestrian safety must come first, and that no permanent regulations will come into force without detailed public consultation. Retail Gazette reported on 29 June 2026 that the DfT had said there is no specific legislation for delivery robots and that ministers would pursue micromobility reform when parliamentary time allows. Status: no national authorisation regime; trial powers sought in a bill (stage not verified). Applicability: sidewalk delivery robots in the UK operate in partnership with local authorities rather than under a statutory permit. Verified on 2026-10-26.","identifier":"1d194529-24c1-420d-b067-9b25d1e48dc5","legislationApplies":{"@type":"Place","name":"United Kingdom"},"publisher":{"@id":"https://deploy.report/#organization"}},"framework_metadata":{"framework_schema_version":"0.1.0","verification_status":"unreviewed","maturity_stage":null,"lifecycle_state":null,"architectural_position":{"cohort":null,"sub_cohorts":[]},"within_cohort_verified_vs_claimed_pair":null,"cap_flags":[],"verification_depth":{"sources_count":4,"primary_source_types":[]}}}