The NSW government's work on the new Flinders railway station is almost a year behind schedule, according to Shellharbour MP Anna Watson.
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Mrs Watson said a media release from NSW Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian in April said the planning documents for the station would be on public display "mid-year".
"If one reads the press release accurately, on the minister's own timetable, the planning documents should have been on display by June-July 2012," Ms Watson said. "But in an answer to a question tabled [on Thursday] in the NSW Parliament, the minister is now suggesting that those same planning documents 'are anticipated to be on public display in mid-2013'.
"The difference in time between the minister's press release on 23 April, 2012, and her latest answer to my question about the progress of construction of the Flinders train station is at least 12 months."
In Parliament on Thursday, the minister also declined to answer Ms Watson about the cost of the project - reported to be about $39 million - and rumours that the name will be changed from Flinders to Shell Cove.
Ms Berejiklian responded by criticising Labor's record on public transport.
"The Labor Party achieved nothing for the Illawarra in public transport when they were in government and now they have the hide to criticise the progress this government is making," Ms Berejiklian said.
"Transport for NSW is currently undertaking work to progress the design, land acquisition and planning approval process for the new Flinders station, part of the Transport Access Program. The project remains on schedule to be completed in 2014."
She said that early consultation with "key stakeholders" had identified places where the initial designs could be improved.
"These improvements are being incorporated into the project in advance of consultation on the project's planning documents in mid next year," Ms Berejiklian said.
"The revised planning schedule means that Flinders, Shell Cove and Shellharbour residents will benefit from these improvements, without any impact on the project's completion target or total project cost."
The station will include commuter parking, bus bays and a new access road.
Ms Berejiklian also said she had "received representations" about the name of the new station.
