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Parents forced to carry prams down the stairs at Redfern station.Credit:Dean Sewell

While preliminary surveys and geotechnical work are under way,major construction at Redfern is not expected to begin until late this year and will take about a year to complete.

Redfern station is under strain from a surge in passengers using it as a “transport gateway” to the nearby university campus and the technology park. Within the next two years,about 10,000 Commonwealth Bank staff are expected to work at the technology park.

The station had a lift installed in 2015 but it serves just two of its 12 platforms.

Redfern is Sydney's sixth busiest station.Credit:Ben Rushton

Transport Minister Andrew Constance said the government was committed to making public transport accessible for everyone,including those with a disability and parents with prams.

"[The upgrade at Redfern] will be a huge step forward for accessibility and connectivity to the busy technology,arts and university precincts nearby,"he said."By making the station accessible,we’ll be supporting the current and expected growth in the precinct."

Funding for the upgrade at Redfern will come from the government's transport access program. While the state has spent about $1.2 billion improving accessibility at train stations and ferry wharves since 2011,a significant number of stations across the state's rail network still need to be upgraded to make them compliant with federal laws.

Despite being ranked a"high priority for an upgrade"in 2016,Redfern station was initially excluded from the third round of funding for station-accessibility upgrades because of plans for amajor redevelopment of the Redfern-North Eveleigh precinct,which is due to be completed in 2022.

However,late last year,Transport for NSW decided to include the station in the next funding round to ensure it was compliant with disability standards well before 2022.

A new entrance to Redfern station was also completed at the corner of Gibbons and Lawson streets late last year.

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