SOME very interesting observations by Cllr Gomez-Aspron (Star letters, December 17), one of our elected members. St Helens does not have a consistent postcode nor telephone dialling code, he states.

He captures one of the reasons we have lost our identity and he and his underperforming colleagues could spend some energy turning this issue around.

Or perhaps they can see further opportunities for themselves by adopting a Liverpool City postcode and 0151 prefix. Devolution was never a mandate of Merseyside. It was created by a Tory government in 1972 to destroy and destabilise strong Labour areas when it was a true party for a proud Lancashire and not a seat of privilege for career politicians like Grunewald and Joe Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool who has some quite interesting observations regarding St Helens.

This is in no way an attack on Liverpool. It is a great city but not a natural partner for St Helens. That is reflected by Merseytravel, a significant employer serving five separate boroughs with a distinct lack of employee numbers from our local demographic.

The Merseytravel model partnership also reflects the lack of balance between the crowded platforms and trains at Lea Green, Newton and St Helens Junction commuters heading for Manchester, yet having no subsidy for that route of travel compared and contrasted to the subsidised peak trains to Liverpool carrying far less commuter traffic. That in itself tells a story.

Lawrence Jones, Clock Face (by email)