According to Ms Hay, 17 stations in the Illawarra, including Minnamurra, Kiama, Gerringong and Berry, risked losing their staff under the RailCorp review, which she said would make the Illawarra one of the hardest-hit areas in the state.

"Reports the (Transport) Minister (Gladys Berejiklian) is considering removing staff from stations handling less than 2000 passengers each day proves she is putting her budget bottom line above the safety and needs of commuters," Ms Hay said.

"Getting rid of station staff reduces security, removes personal assistance for the disabled and elderly who require special ramps to get on and off the train and will allow vandalism and graffiti to spiral out of control."

The State Government is conducting a comprehensive review of RailCorp. RailCorp services currently cost the state about $10<2009>m a day.

The cost-saving measure came from a 2008 report by consultants LEK, hired by the then-Labor government.

Ms Hay said the current minister's hypocrisy was "beyond belief".

"In 2008 when the recommendations came out, she said any attempt to cut staff at railway stations would lead to the consumer's safety being put at risk... You can't have your cake and eat it," she said.

However, Liberal Member for Kiama Gareth Ward slammed Labor and the former State Government, saying it was hypocritical.

"Knocking a report you asked for while in government, then trying to dress up your comments to make it seem like our fault... People want clean, reliable, safe train services.

"That's what I want to see for our region; any regressive cuts to our region will be vigourously opposed by me."

But Mr Ward welcomed RailCorp's decision to move the vacant land on the corner of Manning and Bong Bong streets onto the surplus lands register so it could be put on the market.

"Hopefully someone will snap it up because at the moment, that corner brings down the tone of the town," he said.

Under the current Local Environmental Plan, the block is zoned B2 Local Centre with a floor-space ratio of 2:1 to encourage commercial development.