The autonomous electric vehicles would be used in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole as part of a new pilot scheme outlined in BCP Council's latest transport plan, with a target delivery date of 2031.

They have been described as "tiny fridges on wheels" and are already in operation in several other parts of the UK.

"They have a lot of cameras and means to detect what's happening and they have various safety mechanisms," he said.

Hadley added that the robots would run on the left-hand side of the pavement to make their movements predictable, and that concerns about space and accessibility had been factored into discussions with the operator.

"As I understand it, they will avoid places where it's not safe for them to be," he said.