But Labor leader Luke Foley said he didn't think the residents of Unanderra would have to wait that long.

“I actually think we can shame the Baird government into this because it’s just unacceptable in 2016 in a large city like Wollongong that one of its major railway stations can be in this state,” Mr Foley said.

“I actually think we’ll win this fight before the next state election.

“I think we’ll shame Mr Baird and his colleagues into doing the right thing and we’ll keep it on the agenda until they do the right thing.”

Mr Foley visited the train station with Labor’s candidate for the seat of Wollongong Paul Scully to reaffirm a promise to set aside $25 million to build the lifts.

In the 2015 state election, the party promised $25 million to replace the 70-plus stairs at Unanderra with lifts.

In 2009 under the then Labor government, work started on the lifts,. with funding set aside.

The project was delayed when vital pipes and cables were discovered in the location of the lift pits.

When the Liberal party won the 2011 election, it reassessed the way station upgrades were selected and reallocated the funds that had been set aside for the lifts at Unanderra station.

Mr Scully said the $25 million was a firm commitment.

“If Labor wins the next election it will be in [shadow treasurer] Ryan Park’s first budget,” Mr Scully said.

“By any reasonable measure lifts at Unanderra station stack up and just make sense.

“Around here we have 30,000 people in Berkeley, Unanderra, Farmborough Heights, Mt Kembla, who would use this station if if had better access.”

Unanderra Access Group chair Bec Schmidt has been campaigning for the lifts since early 2015 when she featured in a video that showed double amputee Toby Lyndon hauling himself up the stairs by his hands.

She was pleased to hear of Mr Foley’s commitment.

“It’s great that they’re willing to commit to something, whether it’s in the near future or when they get into government next,” Ms Schmidt said.

“It’s something I think needs to be addressed.

“It’s about equity and inclusion, we need to be able to use our station and have everyone in the suburb actually be able to benefit from it.”