Transport industry stalwart Graeme Burke this week described the state of the Mitchell Highway between Bathurst and Orange as a "bloody disgrace".

Mr Burke believes the road's current state is a safety risk to those using it.

"It is an absolute bloody disgrace, it's a mess, it truly, truly is."

He said the problem with roads is they aren't built properly in the first place.

"At the end of the day, when they build them they just don't build them to a high enough specification to start off with," he said.

"And the drainage is just dreadful. Water lies along the edge of the road in the culverts and as the vehicles and in particular the big trucks go along they vibrate the road and it brings the moisture up.

"That's what causes the problems.

"It's not the surface rain. Have a look where a road is broken up, the bulk of the time you'll find there is water lying on the side of the road."

He said the region's roads have been neglected for years by various governments.

"We've been ignored so long, it's just frustrating," he said citing the Great Western Highway, and Olympic Highway as other examples.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole agreed the road was in poor condition.

He said it was a challenging time with the weather conditions, and said crews who were working on the road have been recently subject to stay at home orders, which has also caused delays.

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