The chart compares the proportion of public expenditure assigned to road and transport infrastructure among four countries – Italy, Portugal, the UK and the USA – across three benchmark years
Overall, the chart highlights a strong contrast in transport spending strategies. Portugal and Italy, which allocated high proportions in 1990, both witnessed downward progressions, although Portugal remained well above the others. The UK showed a persistently low and stable pattern without any major shifts. The USA was the only country that moved in the reverse direction, gradually increasing its spending and ending with higher figures than its initial level.
In 1990, Portugal spent the highest proportion on roads and transport, reaching about 27%, while Italy followed at roughly 22%. By 2000, Italy’s spending rose slightly to around 25%, whereas Portugal’s figure fell to approximately 23%. Over the same period, the UK remained much lower, staying between 10% and 12%. Meanwhile, the USA recorded the smallest share at about 11% in 1990 and increased marginally to around 13% in 2000.
By 2005, Portugal’s proportion continued its downward movement, falling from about 23% in 2000 to roughly 20%, which marked a consistent drop from its peak in 1990. Italy showed a similar pattern, decreasing sharply from its high point of around 25% in 2000 to approximately 20% at the end of the period. In contrast, the UK remained almost unchanged across all three recorded years, staying within the narrow range of 10% to 12% without any significant variation. The USA, however, followed a different direction. After rising slightly from 11% in 1990 to around 13% in 2000, its figure increased once more in 2005, reaching roughly 14%, making it the only country to experience a continuous upward trend throughout the timeframe.