Tma01

Inequality can be defined as an imbalance of resources within society.   This can relate to economic resources such as time and money or even social resources for example mobility or age.   There can be physical differences that create inequality such as a rich or poor divide, able-bodied people over people with mobility differences or just simply by the way people perceive things to be.   In this assignment I will be discussing three types of inequality I have found of interest whilst studying City Road.

The Mackintosh Centre used to be the home of a local landowner but is now a sports centre in the week and a farmers market at the weekend.   It is a very grand looking building with a large fence around it and a gated entrance.   The Head Coach, John Cooksley, explained that there were very few members of his tennis class when he first joined six months ago but now he has busy classes with the majority of his students coming from other areas of Cardiff and not many are from the local area.   This suggests that the locals feel excluded from using this facility and may find the gated entrance daunting and the building to be exclusive to members and not for them.   This perception of feeling excluded is an inequality. We later see that at weekends the gates are open and the area is transformed into a thriving farmers market frequented by a wide range of locals; which shows that once the gates are open the building can be seen to be more welcoming to the local society.

Another inequality is the traffic infrastructure on City Road.   It is a very busy road for traffic and pedestrians alike, being used predominantly as a conduit to the City centre.   Rodney Berman of Cardiff City Council explained that material objects such as bollards and red tarmac on the roads around traffic islands have been put in place to allow easier access for pedestrians.   The bollards are positioned so cars cannot park on the pavement thereby providing clear access for pedestrians and the...