Evri tests Europe's first two-legged delivery robot in Barnsley

Parcel company Evri has started trialling a two-legged delivery robot on residential streets in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The firm says it is the first trial of its kind in Europe.

Evri is running the pilot with Japan-based Refined Robotics. The companies say it will test how advanced robots could support couriers, give customers more choice and shape the future of parcel delivery.

There are no plans to bring the robot to West London at present. Evri delivers parcels to homes across Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Brent and Harrow, so the results could matter here in time.

What the robot can do

According to Evri, the robot can carry parcels of up to 15kg and move at up to 6km/h. That is roughly a brisk walking pace.

Its two jointed legs have wheels at the feet. It rolls along when the ground allows and uses its legs when it needs to move more freely, for example to step off a kerb or climb stairs.

Evri says the design lets it handle things that have long been a problem for wheeled delivery robots, including stairs, uneven pavements and getting in and out of a delivery van on its own.

The firm says the robot can work on its own or be watched remotely. It can also deliver whether or not someone is home to answer the door.

Refined Robotics chief executive Nick Hafner said: "Our two-legged delivery robot has been specifically designed to tackle some of the most complex challenges in last-mile logistics."

Why Barnsley

Evri picked Barnsley because it was the UK's first government-backed Tech Town. Under that status, the town is used as a place to try out new technology in everyday life.

Evri says it will measure how well the robot works in real residential streets and whether it could make operations more efficient. In the longer term, it wants to see whether robots like this could work alongside its existing delivery network.

Marcus Hunter, chief technology officer at Evri Group, called the launch of the trial in Barnsley "an exciting milestone".

Support for couriers, not a replacement

The company has stressed that the robot is meant to help its couriers rather than replace them. "Our couriers remain at the heart of our business," Mr Hunter said.

For this pilot, the robot works alongside couriers rather than making whole delivery rounds itself. Moving parcels from the van to the doorstep, often called the last mile, is one of the most time-consuming parts of delivery.

Evri has not said how long the trial will last, how many robots are taking part, or whether it plans to expand it to other towns and cities, including London.

Other companies have tested small wheeled robots for food and grocery deliveries in parts of the UK, but those machines usually struggle with steps and kerbs. A legged design is meant to fix that, and the Barnsley trial is one of the first real-world tests of whether it works on British streets.