The Co-op will trial autonomous deliveries in Leeds through a new partnership with Starship technologies.

Launching as a three-month pilot in the Adel and Tinshill areas of Leeds, 20,000 residents will be to order groceries though the Starship app to have them delivered from nearby Co-op branches on Spen Lane and Otley Road.

Once scheduled, customers can drop a pin where they want deliveries to be sent. Starship said deliveries start at £99p and can be ordered to arrive in under an hour, while customers can watch the robot’s progress in real-time via an interactive map.

Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said: “As a council we are absolutely committed to delivering alternative, sustainable methods of travel to help reach our target of becoming net-zero by 2030.”

Starship was launched by the co-founders of Skype in 2014, with the rollout of its service to Leeds following the delivery service’s launch in Cambridge.

Alastair Westgarth, chief executive at Starship Technologies, said: “This is our first significant expansion to the north of England, and we are confident the robots will make a positive impact in terms of actively reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions, while also providing ease and convenience for local communities.”

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