PLAYFORD elected members have denied a rift is growing inside the council chamber, despite a number of them publicly backing a campaign launched by a mayoral hopeful.

Eight of Playford’s 15 councillors attended an event on Saturday to raise awareness for a petition created by former Angle Vale Residents Association president Shaun Reardon, who in April announced he would run for mayor against incumbent Glenn Docherty at the 2022 elections.

The petition calls for urgent funding to extend Munno Para’s Newton Boulevard west to Stebonheath Road to alleviate congestion on nearby Curtis Road.

Renewal SA owns the road, with the extension touted as part of the Playford Alive housing growth program.

Councillor and event attendee Peter Rentoulis denied there was any conflict in himself supporting the petition, saying it was “immaterial” and “irrelevant” Mr Reardon would soon be running for mayor.

“I don’t see a conflict of interest,” he said. “At the end of the day we’re all working towards a common purpose – the benefit of the community.

“We don’t care who is responsible for bringing the petition, whether it’s the current mayor or a potential mayor. We’re going to work with anyone who wants to help us fulfil a common ambition.

“It’s not about a conflict or whether we support the mayor or not, or whether we support Shaun Reardon. We have a community member who’s trying to help us achieve a goal.”

Mr Reardon unsuccessfully ran for council at the 2018 council election and has remained a vocal critic of Mr Docherty online.

Speaking about his petition, he said the Newton Boulevard extension was “shovel ready” and wanted to see construction brought forward.

“Extending Newton Boulevard across to Stebonheath Road – as per the original Playford Alive masterplan – would reduce the amount of traffic that needs to travel along the already clogged Curtis Road,” he said.

“But residents are still waiting despite Playford Alive having been under construction for more than a decade.

“Not only will connecting Newton Boulevard provide better access the local school, it will allow for easy access to the Playford Alive retail centre and a direct path to the Munno Para train station.”

Mr Docherty, who has been Playford mayor since 2010, also backed bringing forward the extension and lamented its lack of recent progress.

“The Newton Boulevard extension is a vital piece of infrastructure for Playford Alive,” he said.

“It’s disappointing that the former Labor Government didn’t bring the Newton Boulevard extension on earlier, and I would encourage the current government, in the current economic climate, to bring forward the Newton Boulevard extension to Stebonheath Road.”