Trial using robots to deliver for Uber Eats ends after vandals target the machines

Trial using robots to deliver for Uber Eats ends after vandals target the machines A fierce backlash to the Uber Eats delivery robot trial in Sheffield saw them plastered with graffiti and obstructed with cones amid complaints they were taking up valuable space on the pavement A tech company has pulled its takeaway robots after a fierce backlash during a five-month trial saw them targeted by vandals. Starship Technologies, whose robots were carrying out deliveries for Uber Eats, announced its fleet of delivery robots will no longer operate in Sheffield after a pilot in the Meersbrook and Heeley areas came to an end. It comes after a number of the bots were vandalised - including one incident that saw the slogan 'off our street' daubed on top. Flags placed on top of the six-wheeled 1ft 10in robots designed to make them more visible were also snapped off, while on another occasion traffic cones were put behind the robots to stop them moving. Others took to plastering the robots with stickers as a form of protest, including one which read: "Pedestrians good luck". One local, who stressed they did not approve of the vandalism but were glad the robots were gone, said: "I'm not going to miss them". Controversy had surrounded the machines' use of the pavement to deliver fast food, with disability campaigners and pedestrians' rights groups warning it set a worrying precedent. Residents also complained that the "aimless" robots appeared to drive backwards and forwards around Woodseats primary school when they weren't making deliveries. But the robots have been used with success across the US, including in New Jersey. A YouTube video shows James Barber, Interim CEO at the Transport for All charity said: "We welcome the end of the delivery robot trial in Sheffield and want to see clear regulations that make sure pavements are for people. "When disabled people make everyday journeys, we already have to navigate bins, badly parked vehicles and e-bikes, A-boards and many other obstacles on our pavements. "Delivery robots risk adding yet another barrier on already over-crowded streets, and this time it is one that can move into your path and stop without warning. "We don’t want a repeat of the problems we see with e-bikes, where regulation has been far too slow to catch up. We call on the Government and councils to put clear rules in place, with disabled people involved from the start. After all, if robots can roam our streets freely but disabled people can’t, we’ve got our priorities badly wrong!" Tanya Braun, Director of External Affairs at Living Streets said: "Our streets are not testing grounds. Pausing the trial provides the opportunity to do what should have been done before it commenced and that’s listening to local people and addressing their legitimate concerns about having robots taking up space on their streets." Starship launched its Uber Eats robots in Leeds in December 2025, with the San Francisco-based firm also running a separate service in Milton Keynes that specialises in supermarket deliveries. They have previously announced plans to expand the technology across more cities in the UK, Europe and the US. The Mirror has approached the two companies for comment. [Image text:] Uber Eats PEDESTRIANS GOOD LUCK