PLAYFORD Council has promised $50,000 towards a traffic study at Elizabeth Downs sporting precinct Argana Park as it looks to solve parking problems in the area.

The precinct is home to the Elizabeth Football Club, Elizabeth Downs Soccer Club, the Elizabeth Netball Association and the Craigmore Cricket Club, with more than 2600 registered players across the organisations.

According to a report presented at Playford Council’s July meeting, the tenant organisations have been pushing for a solution to parking and traffic congestion in the precinct, particularly to deal with busy periods on weekends.

At the meeting, elected members voted to invest $50,000 in a traffic, land and geotechnical investigation to create a solution to the parking problems.

The report outlined three possible solutions to provide extra parking spaces, ranging in estimated cost from $200,000 to $600,000.

Constructing extra parks on Garlick Road was one of these options, while formalising 90-degree parking spaces along Mavros Road was also suggested.

A third option touted was to formalise 90-degree parking around the football oval and widening the road around the ground to improve safety.

Currently, cars regularly park to face the oval during football games, consequently cutting off one side of the dual lane road.

The council installed 90 new parking spaces in the south-western corner of the precinct in 2017, although the report noted it was not successful at alleviating traffic concerns.

Elizabeth Netball Association board member Julia Baker said the issue was affecting players and spectators.

“It’s extremely difficult to find car parking during peak periods when football, soccer and netball are all playing at the same time and more spaces are needed,” she said.

Playford councillor Akram Arifi said it was time council solved the issue “once and for all”.

“It’s important to provide patrons of Argana Park with safe and secure car parking facilities and this report also outlines the need for female toilets and change rooms given the number of female participations has grown significantly over the years,” he said.

“Sporting clubs believe that the lack of car parking and narrow exit and entry at (the) northern end creates a significant safety hazard for spectators and players.

“This report will ensure that council address these issues and fix them to ensure locals have access to adequate car parking.

“Council need to invest more in providing safe car parking facilities”.