TONY Blair has promised to return "respect" to the streets of Britain.

Might this be the respect we enjoyed 50 years ago, before the country became infested with motor cars? A time when, as children, we could play in the street without fear of being startled by anti-social car horns, or indeed run over and killed by speeding drivers.

The authorities plan to control unruly teenagers with "no-go areas" and a 9pm curfew. But what about the "curfews" for drivers - speed limits, drink drive limits and limits on using hand-held mobile phones - which already exist and are largely ignored?

According to the RAC, 58 per cent of drivers exceed the 30mph speed limit, just one of several upper limits intended to protect the lives of all children, all other non-drivers and all drivers alike. Also one-in-six drivers drink and drive, and goodness knows how many drive while talking or texting on their mobile phone and void of insurance.

In effect this amounts to some 20 million adults or more who have no respect for the laws and limits that protect the nations children. But no doubt they will all demand the greatest of respect for the laws and limits that protect their precious cars from the vandalising, thieving hands of unruly youngsters.

How many unruly youngsters might we have threatening the lives of the nation's adults? All the nation's laws and limits are one and the same, and all require respect and discipline if we are to make it a safer, healthier, friendlier place to raise children.

Anyone caught carrying a gun even an unloaded one faces a minimum of five years in jail. But a speeding motorist can kill an innocent child, and as likely as not, they will only face a small fine, points on their licence if they have one and a short driving ban.

Children aren't born anti-social. They become so because of the intimidating, aggressive and inconsiderate grown-up world they are brought up in. And, once anti-social, when, if ever, do they change?

How many people enjoy peace and tranquillity?

How many children are able to enjoy the benefits of a safe, stress-free world?

As long as we have anti-social adults - on our roads, on our football pitches, and in our pubs and clubs - we cannot fail to have anti-social youngsters.

Allan Ramsay

Ashcombe Drive

Radcliffe