is my journey in ulez

Fri 26 Apr 2024

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Is my car Ulez compliant? How to check your vehicle, map of new London zone and where to pay a charge

If your vehicle does not meet the ulez emissions standards and is not exempt, you need to pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive within the zone.

A capital-wide scheme to cut air pollution is to be expanded this week bringing all the London borough’s within it and spreading to the borders with the home counties.

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) has already been up and running in central London since 2019 and expanded up to the boundaries of the North and South circular roads in 2021.

But from Tuesday 29 August it will encompass the entire area of Greater London , bringing an additional five million people into the zone.

It means most non-Ulez compliant vehicles that enter the zone will have to pay a charge.

Here is how to check if your vehicle is compliant, where the zone applies and how to pay.

Is my vehicle Ulez compliant?

A Ulez-compliant car is one which meets the requirements to drive into the Ultra Low Emissions Zone without being charged a fee.

The standards apply to cars, motorbikes, vans, specialist vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes and mini-buses up to 5 tonnes.

Petrol cars with engines compliant with Euro 4 emissions regulations, which were introduced in 2006, do not need to pay the Ulez charge.

Diesel-powered cars are only exempt from the charge if the engine adheres to Euro 6 vehicle emission rules, which came into force in September 2015.

If your diesel car is older than that, it’s possible it will be subject to the Ulez charge.

Electric cars and cars which are more than 40 years old are exempt from ULEZ charges.

To check whether your vehicle meets the emissions and safety standards threshold, you can enter your registration number into the Transport for London website.

London Mayor Sadiq Kha n has said nine out of ten cars seen driving in outer London on an average day won’t be affected.

And for those who are affected, he has launched a £110m scrappage scheme to help eligible Londoners prepare for the expansion .

Ulez exemptions will be in place until 2025 for community transport vehicles and until 2027 for people receiving certain disability benefits and vehicles specifically for people with disabilities.

Where the new London zone will cover

The Ulez scheme currently covers the whole of London within the boundaries of the North and South circular roads.

From the 29 August, it will cover all 32 London boroughs as well as the City of London taking the scheme up to the borders of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Kent and Essex.

Where do you pay the Ulez charge?

The Ulez is in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year except Christmas Day.

If your vehicle does not meet the Ulez emissions standards and is not exempt, you need to pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive within the zone.

This charge must be paid by midnight on the third day following your journey in Ulez.

It can be paid online through the Transport for London (TfL) payment portal , you can set up an Auto Pay account or you can use the TfL Pay to Drive in London app .

Those who do not pay the charge face a fine of up to £180.

The Mayor of London has said any net revenue raised by the Ulez is guaranteed to be invested in improving the transport network in London.

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• Driving and transport
• Parking, public transport and the environment

Drive in a clean air zone

Use this service if you’re planning to drive through clean air zones in:

• Greater Manchester (under review)
• Tyneside - Newcastle and Gateshead

There’s a different way to check your vehicle if you want to drive in London’s low or ultra low emission zones or a low emission zone in Scotland .

You might need to pay to drive in a clean air zone if your vehicle does not meet emissions standards.

Use this service to:

• find out if you need to pay for your vehicle
• pay the daily charge
• view maps of clean air zones

This service cannot check vehicles that are registered outside the UK.

Before you start

You’ll need the number plate (registration number) of the vehicle you want to check.

If you’re paying the charge for a single vehicle, you’ll need a credit or debit card.

If you’re a business and want to check a number of vehicles you’ll need:

• an account - you can create one when you use this service
• your company name
• an email address
• a spreadsheet in CSV format of the number plates (registration numbers) of the vehicles you want to check

If you’re a business and want to pay for a number of vehicles you’ll need a credit card, debit card or bank details.

Contact clean air zone support

You can get support if you cannot use the online service or you need help.

Clean air zone support Online contact form Telephone: 0300 029 8888 British Sign Language (BSL) video relay service if you’re on a computer - find out how to use the service on a mobile or tablet Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm (except bank holidays) Saturday, 8am to 2pm Find out about call charges

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Check ULEZ compliance for free

London’s ULEZ operates city-wide up to the M25. Use our ULEZ checker to find out if your car meets emissions standards and what fees you may need to pay.

How does the ULEZ checker tool work?

Using data from the DVLA and emissions standards published by TfL, our ULEZ checker tool uses your vehicle’s reg to check if your car meets the Euro emissions standards that qualify it as low-polluting.  We can then confirm if your vehicle is compliant or non-compliant. Only non-compliant vehicles need to pay daily charges to drive in the ULEZ.

The compliance results are based on the ULEZ standards published by TfL, but we do not guarantee their accuracy. To check compliance for older vehicles, we advise you to use the TfL vehicle checker on the TfL website.

Some vehicles are exempt from ULEZ charges and may not receive an accurate compliance result from our checker. These include some vehicles built before 1 January 1973, or with historic tax class, some specialist vehicles (including tractors, mowers, farm and construction machinery), and those operated by the Ministry of Defence.

What is the London ULEZ?

London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) was introduced by TfL in 2019 as a small zone in Central London and aimed to reduce air pollution in the city by charging drivers of the worst polluting vehicles a fee to drive within the zone.

TfL expanded the zone in October 2021 to cover an area up to the North and South Circular Road. As part of an ongoing effort to further reduce vehicle emissions across the capital, the zone was expanded again to cover the whole of Greater London on 29th August 2023.

Drivers of non-compliant cars are charged £12.50 per day if they make a journey within the ULEZ. With automatic fines for non-payment, make sure you don’t get caught out.

Read our guides for more info about  London’s ULEZ expansion , the  latest ULEZ charges & fines , and ULEZ scrappage schemes .

Which cars are free from ULEZ charges?

Different rules apply to different types of vehicles when it comes to ULEZ fees. For the most part, this means:

ULEZ compliant petrol cars

• Must meet Euro 4, Euro 5 or Euro 6 emissions standards
• Were generally registered after January 2006

ULEZ compliant diesel cars

• Must be Euro 6 compliant
• Were generally registered after September 2015

ULEZ compliant hybrid & electric cars

• With diesel engines: Must meet Euro 6 standards
• With petrol engines: Must meet Euro 4 standards

ULEZ compliant vans & motorbikes

• Diesel vans must be Euro 6 compliant
• Petrol vans must be Euro 4 compliant
• Motorbikes must be Euro 3 compliant

ULEZ scrappage scheme

Prefer to scrap your vehicle? The ULEZ car and motorcycle  scrappage scheme is available for households within Greater London that own a non-ULEZ-compliant vehicle.

If you qualify, you can receive:

for scrapping a motorcycle or moped

for scrapping a car

Frequently asked questions about London's ULEZ

What is the ultra low emission zone (ulez).

The ULEZ is a zone operated by TfL in London that restricts the use of older, high-polluting vehicles through the use of a penalty fee. If your car is not ULEZ compliant, you need to pay a daily charge of £12.50.

Where does the ULEZ charge apply?

Since the 29th August 2023, ULEZ has been operating city-wide up to the M25.

This means that any motorist driving a non-compliant car within Greater London will be charged.

How do I know if I have to pay the ULEZ charge?

If you have driven into the ULEZ in a car that is not compliant, TfL will be in touch to let you know you face a ULEZ charge. The ULEZ area is policed through automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR), meaning you won’t be physically stopped from entering the ULEZ in a non-compliant vehicle, but you will receive a penalty charge notice of £160 if you haven’t paid by midnight of the third day since your journey. 

Alternatively, our ULEZ checker can tell you if your vehicle will need to pay the ULEZ charge, just enter your reg above!

Which cars are free to drive in the ULEZ?

Cars that are free to drive in the ULEZ must be Euro 6 (diesel) or Euro 4 (petrol) compliant. That means low emission and zero-emission vehicles such as electric cars will not be charged. Hybrid cars aren’t automatically exempt, as some models made before 2015 may not be ULEZ compliant.

How can I check if my car is ULEZ compliant?

By using our ULEZ checker! Just enter your reg to see if your vehicle is ULEZ compliant.

Using DVLA and emissions standards information published by TfL, we will show you if your car is exempt from charges in London, or whether you need to pay a daily charge to drive in the zone.

Where is the ULEZ?

The ULEZ was expanded city-wide on the 29th of August 2023. This means that any motorist driving a non-compliant vehicle within any London borough is now subject to the ULEZ charge.

Is my vehicle Euro 6 compliant?

You can check your vehicle for Euro 6 compliance in relation to ULEZ with Motorway’s ULEZ checker. 

If your vehicle was made after September 2015, there’s a good chance it’s Euro 6 compliant and therefore able to drive in London’s ULEZ for free .

You may also find this information in your registration details or, you can simply check your reg with our ULEZ check tool which will show whether it’s Euro 6 compliant.

If your car is ULEZ compliant then it will automatically mean it’s Euro 6 compliant too (excluding exemptions).

Is my bike Euro 3 compliant?

If your bike is Euro 3 compliant then it will also be considered ULEZ compliant — enter your reg into our checker to find out.

Is my bike Euro 5 compliant?

From the start of 2021, only Euro 5 compliant bikes can be sold in the EU, so any motorbikes bought at this time will be both Euro 5 and ULEZ compliant. If you purchased a bike before this, you should check your registration details or contact the manufacturer to confirm. 

Remember, the rules for bikes in the ULEZ means they must be Euro 3 compliant, not Euro 6, like cars, so bikes manufactured as early as 2000 may still be able to drive in the ULEZ charge-free.

Where was ULEZ expanded to in 2023?

London’s ULEZ was introduced by TfL in 2019, and was later expanded to cover an area up to the North and South Circular Road. Since the 29th August 2023, the zone has been operating city-wide up to the M25.

If your car is ULEZ compliant, you will not need to pay any ULEZ fees within this expanded area, but if you are driving a non-compliant vehicle, you will be subject to the full ULEZ charge.

Use Motorway’s ULEZ checker  to find out if your car meets the emissions standards, and if you need to pay in the Greater London zone.

When did the ULEZ expand?

Since the 29th of August 2023, driving a non-compliant vehicle within any Greater London borough will make you subject to the ULEZ charge.

Read our guide   to   find out how this expansion affects you, the price of your vehicle, and what you can do to avoid paying ULEZ fines.

How do I know if I’ve entered the ULEZ?

The ULEZ is clearly signposted as you enter the capital. Keep an eye out for the green signs with ULEZ written in a white circle. These will be at every boundary point.

Look out for the advance information signs that appear on major roads. These indicate the distance to the boundary. 

When you get close to the boundary, there will be directional signs that show which routes take you into the ULEZ. 

You’ll also see signs in the zone displaying a camera icon. These are to remind you about the cameras – equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology – operating in the zone.

How much is the ULEZ charge?

The ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone) charge amount depends on several factors, including the type of vehicle, its emissions, and the location.

Since September 2021, the ULEZ charge in London has been £12.50 for most non-compliant vehicles. This includes cars, motorcycles, and vans. 

The ULEZ charge applies 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including weekends and holidays, except for Christmas Day (25th December). This means that vehicles entering the ULEZ area are subject to the charge at any time, day or night.

You can read more about ULEZ charges in our guide, including how to pay a ULEZ charge.

How is the ULEZ enforced?

ULEZ enforcement involves monitoring vehicles within the designated zone to ensure compliance with emission standards. Cameras equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology are installed at various entry points and key locations throughout the zone. These cameras capture the number plates of passing vehicles and cross-reference them with a database of vehicle details and their corresponding emission levels.

How do I pay the ULEZ charge?

There are several ways to pay the ULEZ charge. Transport for London (TfL) has a free AutoPay system that covers ULEZ, LEZ, and the Congestion Charge. You can also pay online on a journey-by-journey basis, on TfL’s ULEZ payment portal . Read more about ULEZ charges in our guide .

What cars are exempt from ULEZ?

There are certain types of vehicles that are exempt from ULEZ charges, including electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, Euro 6 compliant diesel vehicles, Euro 4 compliant petrol vehicles, and electric motorcycles and scooters. You can find the full list of exempt vehicles in our guide.

How much will I get from ULEZ scrappage schemes?

On 22nd August 2023, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, established a £2,000 ULEZ scrappage grant to all Londoners with non-compliant vehicles.

The scheme will be available to any household with a non-compliant car or motorcycle. The scheme is expected to cost around £160m.   Check the ULEZ scrappage grant amounts by vehicle type  in our guide.

What are the details of the ULEZ scrappage scheme in 2023?

The ULEZ scrappage scheme in 2023 is a government initiative aimed at encouraging the replacement of older, more polluting vehicles with cleaner, low-emission vehicles.

The scheme provides financial incentives to eligible vehicle owners to scrap their older vehicles and switch to newer, more environmentally-friendly alternatives. Read more about it in our guide .

Is my van liable for ULEZ, LEZ, and the Congestion Charge?

The liability for ULEZ charges depends on the emission standard of your van. If your van doesn’t meet the required emission standards for ULEZ (e.g. Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 6 for diesel vehicles), it will be subject to daily charges when driving within the ULEZ zone. You can find more information in our van driver’s guide to ULEZ.

ULEZ guides

ULEZ expansion

London’s ultra low emissions zone expanded in August 2023. Find out when, where and what the new rules are in our guide.

ULEZ-compliant cars

Is your car ULEZ-compliant? Find out about compliance criteria.

ULEZ – the ultimate guide

Learn why the ULEZ is so important if you plan to be driving in London.

ULEZ charge – how to pay a ULEZ fine & cut it in half

Read our guide to find out what you need to do to avoid any surprise PCN post turning up on your doorstep, and how to minimise it if you do.

The van driver’s guide to London’s ULEZ

Vans are more likely to incur ULEZ charges. With the zone soon to expand to all of Greater London, make sure you don’t get a penalty charge.

Proving your car is ULEZ-compliant with a Certificate of Conformity

A CoC is a document you can request from your car’s manufacturer. It has several uses, including verification of ULEZ, CAZ and LEZ compliance.

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Sophia Bush Gets Candid About Her 'Hard and Painful' Fertility Journey: 'Most Clarifying Experience'

"It feels like society is finally making space for brutally honest conversations," Bush says

Lauren Dukoff

Sophia Bush is opening up about her fertility journey.

In Glamour's April cover story, the actress, 41, gets honest about her experience with fertility in a personal essay for the magazine. She explains in the article that after her wedding to ex-husband Grant Hughes , she was in "the depths and heartbreak of the fertility process," which Bush calls the "most clarifying experience of my life."

"It feels like society is finally making space for brutally honest conversations about how hard and painful any fertility journey is, but I kept mine private," she says.

"I was trying to get through months of endless ultrasounds, hormone shots, so many blood draws that I have scar tissue in my veins, and retrieval after retrieval, while simultaneously realizing the person I had chosen to be my partner didn't necessarily speak the same emotional language I did."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Bush separated from Hughes after 13 months of marriage last August. A few months later, the actress was seen stepping out with soccer star Ashlyn Harris, who split from her wife and fellow soccer pro,  Ali Krieger .

After they were first seen together in October,  an insider from Bush and Harris' circle  confirmed to PEOPLE that the two were together after splitting from their respective partners.

"After being friends for years, and running in the same social circles, Sophia and Ashlyn went out on their first dinner date a couple of weeks ago. This is so recent, and they are both beginning new chapters," the source said at the time.

In early January, Bush reflected on her year that “changed everything" in a lengthy  Instagram  post.

“No more playing small. No more turning my back on myself. No more settling for what falls short because ‘who am I to ask for more?’ This year put me back in my body. I left it a long time ago, in such a way that I forgot what it felt like to inhabit my own skin. I feel my whole self from the tops of my ears to the tips of my toes now. It’s breathtaking. Life giving. Affirming," said Bush.

Related Articles

Susan Hall unveils mayoral election manifesto with promise to scrap Ulez expansion and tackle crime

Tory candidate Susan Hall promised on Monday to “fix” London as she published her mayoral manifesto.

She told Londoners they had 10 days to scrap the Ulez expansion and to stop the introduction of “pay-per-mile” road charging, though her Labour rival Sadiq Khan insists he has abandoned any plans for such a system.

Ms Hall, who was taught by her car mechanic father how to fix engines as a teenager, is due to launch the long-awaited 27-page document at a repair garage in Bexley.

Alongside the Londonwide Ulez, which she has vowed to switch off “on day one” if elected on May 2, her other main focus is on tackling rising crime rates, including knife crime and crime against women and girls.

She would recruit an additional 1,500 Met police officers , set up two police bases in each of the 32 boroughs policed by the Met and bring back borough-based policing.

She said: “I have lived in London for my entire life. It’s where I brought up my children, where I started my business, and where I have served for over a decade as a councillor. 

It breaks my heart to see London decline. I am determined to fix it.”

But it came as Labour claimed her pledges would cost more than £500m to implement – something denied by the Tories, who say Ms Hall’s plans are fully costed.

Mr Khan published his manifesto last Thursday. Key pledges included continuing free school lunches for all London primary school children for four more years at a cost of £140m a year, ruling out “any form of pay-per-mile smart road user charging system” and continuing the partial Tube and bus fares freeze “as long as economic conditions allow”.

Ms Hall pledged to build more family homes, with tower blocks “only permitted where it is appropriate”.

She would “stop the war on motorists”, extend the Night Tube to four sub-surface lines – starting with the Hammersmith and City, and followed by the District, Circle and Metropolitan – and reinstate the ability of older Londoners to use their 60+ Oyster card or Freedom Pass, which offer free travel, before 9am.

She said Mr Khan could have reinstated free early morning travel for older Londoners had he not spent £30m increasing the pay of 16,000 Tube staff to avert a week of strikes in January.

Communities would be “helped” to remove “unwanted” LTNs (low traffic neighbourhoods). Similarly, 20mph zones would be axed “where safe to do so”.

The manifesto states: “It is entirely right that we restrict speeds near schools, hospitals and in residential areas to keep people safe, but it is completely inappropriate for London’s arterial roads, such as Finchley Road.

“I will review all TfL-run 20mph roads and where safe to do so, I will restore a 30mph or 40mph speed limit. Where cycle lanes cause unnecessary disruption to main roads, such as on Park Lane, I will seek to move or remove them.”

She would “remove or adapt” floating bus stops – which require bus passengers to cross cycle lanes – and halt any plans for new ones.

She would take action against dockless bikes being discarded in the middle of the pavement by ensuring the current rules are betterenforced.

In place of the Ulez, a £50m fund to target “high pollution hotspots” would be established. Air pollution on the Tube would also be addressed.

She would concentrate on “bread and butter issues” and keep council tax “as low as possible”, while still providing enough funding for the Met police.

She appeared to backtrack on previous comments suggesting free school meals should be means tested, saying she would “by maintaining… the universal free school meals programme, ensuring children have healthy, nutritious meals”.

The document, entitled “A mayor who listens”, says she would “reform the police from top to bottom to eliminate unacceptable and criminalbehaviour by officers”. There would be a £200m investment in policing, drawn from “cutting a bloated City Hall staff budget to reducing excessive TfL staff perks”.

Police station closures – there have been 36 under Mr Khan’s time in City Hall, according to the Tories - would be “halted” and she would “get knifes off our streets”. Specialist units would be set up to tackle burglaries, robberies and thefts.

“We need to increase stop and search but do so in a responsible way,” the manifesto states.

She would seek to bring some of the 90,000 empty homes in London back into use and would “protect” the Green Belt. New developments would be more likely to have car parking spaces.

The Central line, which has suffered months of delays due to the repeated failure of its ageing trains, would be upgraded “as soon as possible”.

Restrictions on black cabs would be axed. “Black cabs will go where buses can go,” she said. An independent review would be commissioned into Transport for London.

Mr Khan has increased his share of average council tax bills by more than £200 since he became mayor in 2016.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

The 12 most groundbreaking lesbian couples, storylines and moments in soap history

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Lesbian characters and relationships have been at the forefront of numerous high-profile soap storylines over the years, and what better time to reflect on some of our favourites than Lesbian Visibility Week?

From Beth Jordache (Anna Friel) and Margaret Clemence’s (Nicola Stephenson) first kiss in Brookside , to Suki Panesar ( Balvinder Sopal ) and Eve Unwin ’s ( Heather Peace ) dramatic love affair in EastEnders, soaps have often paved the way for lesbian representation in the media.

Having said that, there is still much more that can be done. There has never been a successful WLW wedding in a soap before, and too often lesbian characters fall victim to the ‘bury your gays’ trope – where one person in the couple falls victim to an untimely death .

However, with Lesbian Visibility Week well underway, we thought it was about time to shine a light on some of the most groundbreaking, game-changing and popular WLW moments in soap.

Beth Jordache and Margaret Clemence’s kiss – Brookside

Back in 1994, Brookside aired television’s first pre-watershed lesbian kiss between Beth and Margaret. The scenes were watched by over 6 million viewers and have been hailed as one of the most famous LGBTQ+ moments in soap history.

What’s more, the short clip was later included in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and broadcast to billions of viewers across the world, including in 76 countries where same-sex relationships were still illegal, making it the first same-sex kiss to ever air in those countries.

Zoe Tate – Emmerdale

Zoe Tate (Leah Bracknell) was Emmerdale’s first lesbian character . She came out in emotional scenes in 1993 to mixed responses from her loved ones, and went on to have romances with a number of characters, including Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins).

In 1996, Zoe’s girlfriend Emma Nightingale asked her to marry her, and the pair later had a blessing ceremony to recognise their relationship.

Unfortunately, things didn’t last long, as Zoe decided to leave Emma for Susie Wilde.

Sophie Webster and Sian Powers’ wedding – Coronation Street

Sophie Webster (Brooke Vincent) and Sian Powers (Sacha Parkinson) captured the nation’s hearts with their love story, and were on track to have Corrie’s first lesbian wedding.

Unfortunately, things didn’t work out the way we all hoped they would, when Sophie ran away from the church and admitted her guilt for kissing someone else, which ultimately resulted in the end of their relationship and heartbreak for fans everywhere.

#Vanity – Emmerdale

Every so often, soap couples will send fans into a frenzy and garner huge followings on social media. One such pairing was Emmerdale’s Charity Dingle and Vanessa Woodfield (Michelle Hardwick) – affectionately dubbed Vanity.

In October 2017 – on my 18th birthday, no less – Vanessa and Charity found themselves locked in the Woolpack cellar, and what followed came as a complete surprise to absolutely everyone.

Following their night of passion, and months of asking ‘Will they? Won’t they?’, Vanity finally made things official, much to the joy of their loyal supporters.

Even now, fans are still hopeful that they may rekindle their relationship one day , but whether or not they will remains to be seen.

#Kana – Coronation Street

Another couple that received heaps of support on social media was Kate Connor (Faye Brookes) and Rana Habeeb (Bhavna Limbachia).

Rana’s coming out story highlighted the difficulties faced by lesbians from religious communities, with Rana having grown up with strict Muslim parents.

Just as it seemed that she would finally get her happy ending with Kate, Rana was left fighting for her life when the factory roof collapsed on top of her, and she ended up dying on their wedding day .

Tracy Barlow and Paula Martin’s one night stand – Coronation Street

As an Evanescence obsessed lesbian, this storyline will forever be engrained in my psyche, so it had to be included on this list.

In a completely shocking turn of events, New Year’s Day 2020 saw Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) wake up in bed next to none other than lesbian lawyer Paula Martin (Stirling Gallacher).

After being stood up by husband Steve McDonald (Simon Gregson), who wasn’t keen on their plans to see an Evanescence tribute band (I have often questioned Steve’s judgement, but refusing to see something Evanescence related is the icing on the cake), Tracy instead spent her New Year with Paula, and one thing led to another…

It didn’t take long for the truth to come out, though Tracy’s marriage remained largely unaffected by her infidelity.

Suki Panesar’s coming out journey – EastEnders

Suki Panesar’s coming out story has been hailed by fans as one of the greatest pieces of representation on television.

Over several years, Suki struggled to come to terms with her sexuality, and projected her internalised homophobia onto bisexual daughter Ash.

Suki’s journey to self-acceptance was a long and difficult road, and something that many members of the LGBTQ+ community could relate to.

Ultimately, with support from her loved ones and girlfriend Eve Unwin, Suki has reached a point where she is proud of who she is, and isn’t afraid to show affection to Eve in public – a huge step forward for the character, and an important journey to represent.

Mary Goskirk’s coming out – Emmerdale

In 2022, Emmerdale aired a storyline which saw Mary Goskirk (Louise Jameson) come out as a lesbian later in life .

This was a subject that hadn’t been tackled on the soap before, and was well received by viewers.

Mary came out to good friend Kim Tate (Claire King) in emotional scenes, where she expressed her relief at having unburdened herself of this huge secret.

While she hasn’t been completely lucky in love since then, we’re hopeful that things will work out for Mary, and she’ll get her happy ever after in the end.

Peri Lomax and Juliet Nightingale – Hollyoaks

Another WLW couple to capture viewers’ hearts was Peri Lomax (Ruby O’Donnell) and Juliet Nightingale (Niamh Blackshaw).

Throughout their relationship, they had a lot of ups and downs, though they finally reunited in 2022.

Tragically, their happiness would be ripped away when Juliet sadly died of Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2023.

Eve Unwin versus ULEZ – EastEnders

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In what can only be described as the greatest lesbian joke on television , Eve Unwin left EastEnders viewers in tears after a misunderstanding.

When Suki and Eve moved in together, Eve worried that Suki had become overwhelmed, and scolded Priya Nandra- Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) for mocking her.

Later, when Eve walked in on a conversation about London’s ultra low emissions zone and Priya revealed to Suki that they were talking about ‘ULEZ’, she was quick to berate Priya for ‘talking about Suki like that’.

Thankfully, Suki saw the funny side, and viewers took to social media to express their joy at the hilarious scene.

When Kathy Beale became a ‘top tier lesbian’ – EastEnders

I have absolutely nothing thought-provoking to say about this, it was just iconic .

Nina Lucas and Asha Alahan’s relationship – Coronation Street

On a more personal note, I couldn’t write this list and not include Nina and Asha (Mollie Gallagher and Tanisha Gorey). Back in 2021, their first on-screen kiss was the catalyst to my own coming out journey .

Though the soaps were still filming under Covid measures, with social distancing on set, Corrie didn’t shy away from this special moment between the two characters.

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Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who’s leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale?

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What was refreshing about this storyline was the fact that Nina and Asha didn’t feel like they needed to hide their relationship, with Asha immediately opening up the conversation with her family and explaining how she didn’t feel the need to label herself.

While it is important to show the struggle that coming out can sometimes be, it is equally as important to represent the occasions when that isn’t the case, as well as show LGBTQ+ people that coming out doesn’t have to be something to be afraid of.

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Susan Hall pledges to stop Ulez expansion in London mayor manifesto

Ms Hall vowed to end what she called the ‘war on motorists’ as she sought to draw battle lines with Sadiq Khan.

Londoners have 10 days to stop Sadiq Khan’s Ulez expansion plans, Susan Hall claimed as she set out her full plans for the capital’s mayoralty.

The Conservative candidate sought to widen the political gulf between her and the Labour Mayor over motoring policies, as she published her full manifesto 10 days before the polls open on May 2.

In a launch event at a garage in Bexley, south-east London, attended by local media outlets, Ms Hall said she would scrap the Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) expansion from day one in the job.

Ulez was expanded to cover all London boroughs in August last year with the aim of improving air quality, following an unsuccessful attempt by several Conservative-led London councils to challenge it in the courts.

Ms Hall also claimed her opponent plans to introduce a “pay-per-mile” scheme for drivers in London, despite Mr Khan repeatedly ruling this idea out.

The Tory candidate, a former leader of the London Assembly Conservative group, pledged to end a “war on motorists” by reviewing 20mph speed limits on main roads and low traffic neighbourhoods where they are unpopular.

The Conservatives would also extend Night Tube services, and reinstate travel discounts for over-60s during peak morning hours, her manifesto said.

Ms Hall has also committed to recruit 1,500 more police officers, and set up two new police bases in every London borough, while taking action to crack down on knife crime, theft and women’s safety issues.

Elsewhere, she promised to build more affordable homes by prioritising high-density, low-rise developments over new tower blocks, and promote green choices for Londoners, including by providing more electric vehicle charging points.

“Sadiq Khan won’t be able to fund his ridiculous, uncosted billion-pound manifesto unless he brings in pay-per-mile and slashes police funding even further, which would be devastating for every family in London,” Ms Hall said.

“I am listening to Londoners, which is why I will scrap the Ulez expansion and his pay-per-mile plans on day one of my mayoralty.

“For eight years, we’ve had a mayor who won’t listen. It is time we changed that, and on May 2 we can.”

The Conservatives have insisted their candidate’s manifesto is fully costed, with commitments covered by cutting “bloated” spending at City Hall and Transport for London (TfL) without affecting services.

But Labour claimed there is a £500 million black hole in Ms Hall’s spending commitments.

Shadow cabinet minister Jonathan Ashworth claimed the plans are “straight out of the Liz Truss playbook – reckless, irresponsible and uncosted”, and claimed they would leave Londoners facing cuts in services or rises in council tax and travel fares.

Analysis by the party, published as Ms Hall prepared to launch her manifesto, claimed policies announced by Ms Hall would cost £598 million and save only £83 million, leaving a £515 million shortfall.

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Top Indian Star Katrina Kaif Recounts Her Cinematic Journey: ‘Film Would Become My Entire Life’ (EXCLUSIVE)

By Naman Ramachandran

Naman Ramachandran

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The times are changing across Indian cinema and Katrina Kaif , one of the top stars of the country, is changing with them.

The top 10 Indian films in the post-pandemic year 2023 were all star-driven blockbusters and Kaif was in the mix with Bollywood action extravaganza “ Tiger 3 ,” the latest in Yash Raj Films’ spy universe, where she starred alongside Salman Khan. 2024 has seen a paradigm shift in that, with five of the top 10 films being what are known locally as “content films,” where a strong storyline takes precedence over spectacle.

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“I was in love with the book. I was just like, ‘Wow,’ I mean, it was everything you wanted in this space. It was tender, poetic, it had that very mysterious Hitchcockian quality to it. It had drama, it had mystery, it had murder, it had everything in the most unique and novel way,” Kaif told Variety over a zoom call from Mumbai.

With six sisters scattered around the globe and her mother running a school for underprivileged children in southern India, Kaif had a peripatetic childhood. At the age of 18, she became a model in India and was soon rubbing shoulders with the best in the business. Films inevitably followed. Her acting debut, 2003 crime thriller “Boom,” was a critical and commercial disaster despite the presence of Bollywood heavyweights Amitabh Bachchan and Jackie Shroff. It is clear that Kaif has expunged the film from her memory. When asked to recount her cinematic journey Kaif says: “I think my first foray was in a South Indian film, a Telugu film actually [2004 romcom “Malliswari” where she plays the titular role of a wealthy heiress]. And from there, I started getting on-camera experience and then working my way slowly, meeting directors, producers. I felt that I had done what I wanted to do in the modeling industry, I felt ‘okay, I’ve understood the scene.’ I had a few targets and goals and I’d achieved those. And for me, my desire and my heart was in the movies.”

Upon the suggestion of filmmaker Dharmesh Darshan, Kaif, who is now known for her exceptional dancing skills, underwent intense training under the late guru Veeru Krishnan, who was an exponent of the Kathak dance form. “Dance is one thing, but I feel like Kathak is about expression. It’s about a feeling, it’s about expressing yourself through music. And that, for me was my foundation for movies,” Kaif says. “It was about understanding the emotion and the language of cinema. I was almost quiet, a little timid, very naive, I wasn’t sure of my identity in terms of what was my voice, my expression as a girl, as a woman. I was very young. So, I think that really helped me find my voice.”

Kaif also benefited from the sage advise of co-star Anil Kapoor (“Slumdog Millionaire”) on the sets of “Humko Deewana Kar Gaye” (2006) who told her to get into the headspace of the scene they were about to perform, rather than walking back and forth. “Having been surrounded by thespians, I was like a sponge, I was very eager to learn, and very open, I was not a person who ever had any airs or preconceived notions,” Kaif says.

Significant success followed. Kaif counts drama-romance “Namastey London” (2007) and comedies “Welcome” (2007) and “Singh Is King” (2008) among the highlights of her early career. Thriller “New York” (2009) was a turning point, Kaif says. The actor also lists comedy “Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani” (2009), political drama “Rajneeti” (2010) and coming-of-age film “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” (2011) as her standout films of that time.

The next chapter in Kaif’s journey featured big-budget high octane action films, including “Ek Tha Tiger” (2012) that kicked off the immensely successful spy universe, “Dhoom 3” (2013) and “Bang Bang” (2014). “I was doing exactly what I wanted to do. These were the filmmakers I wanted to work with,” Kaif says. Kaif’s love affair with dance also continued, with her being actively involved in the choreography. The actor also rates her work in action-adventure “Jagga Jasoos” (2017), drama “Zero” (2018) and cop film “Sooryavanshi” (2021), which was the first major Bollywood theatrical release post-COVID.

Meanwhile, the spy universe continued with “Tiger Zinda Hai” (2017) and “Ek Tha Tiger” (2023). A sequence set in a hammam (Turkish bath) is a particular highlight for the actor. “For me dance and action are similar in that sense – I need to be in there, I have to execute it,” Kaif says, adding that she rarely uses stunt doubles. The hammam sequence is a case in point where Kaif executed all the action herself as her double came down with COVID-19.

Kaif’s train of thought is interrupted as her phone rings. It’s her husband, the actor Vicky Kaushal . She’ll call him back later. Kaushal is also a perfect example of a changing Bollywood where the story can take precedence over spectacle. His 2023 filmography includes an extended appearance in top 10 hit, immigration drama “Dunki,” playing the lead in military hero biopic “Sam Bahadur” and headlining small-town romcom “Zara Hatke Zara Bachke.”

In 2023, the Indian film industry grew 14% to reach a value of $2.3 billion, within which theatrical revenues reached an all-time high of $1.4 billion. The number of screens grew 4% and fewer films released directly on digital platforms. Kaif’s current trajectory mirrors that growth.

“I’ve always put the audiences first and have tried to with my choices throughout my career. And now I think it’s about finding a balance, what story do I feel is going to connect with the audience? And what do I connect to personally and as an actor right now? What’s going to give me growth? What’s going to give me satisfaction? This is just exactly what I want to be doing right now,” Kaif says.

The West came calling recently, but circumstances at the time meant that Kaif had to turn the offer down. “I do believe it will happen, and I think that will be a whole new leaf in my book, so to speak, and really exciting,” Kaif says.

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Reporting by Wendell Roelf; Writing by Nellie Peyton and Alex Lawler; Editing by Alexander Winning and Emelia Sithole-Matarise

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China's Bank of Communications Q1 profit rises 1.44%

China's Bank of Communications Co Ltd (BoCom) , reported a 1.44% rise in first-quarter net profit amid a slowing economy.