During the recent election campaign, Transport and Roads Minister Andrew Constance promised $20 million in funding to upgrade the station including three lifts and a walkway.

At the time Mr Constance would give no firmer timeline than stating it would be delivered in this term of government - which will run until 2023.

In a response to a series of questions lodged by Wollongong MP Paul Scully, Mr Constance said residents will get input in the project some time next year.

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"Community consultation for the Unanderra station upgrade will start once project planning has progressed, including preparation of the Review of Environmental Factors (REF) scheduled for early 2020," Mr Constance said.

The Minister's response also said it was difficult to give an indication of how long after that period construction would start as it can vary from one project to the next.

If Fairy Meadow's upgrade is any indication, it could be a matter of months.

That station's REF went on public exhibition in May and gained planning approval in late June.

Construction is slated to start later this year.

Mr Scully was pleased with the Minister's response.

"This is the first time the government has put a time frame around the possible start of the project," Mr Scully said.

"The local community after years and years of hard work, petitions, rallies and protests looks like it has finally achieved a possible start for the upgrade of Unanderra station and building its much-needed lifts."