Official statistics show that Beijing has seen an immediate benefit following the municipal government's traffic calming measures and the opening of new subway lines with the capital enjoying two hours less congestion every day.

The uplifting figures released by Beijing's municipal commission of transport show that the capital's daily congestion index during rush hours on working days in January fell to an average of 6 with a high of 6.62. The number indicates a "moderate" level of congestion according to the evaluation system set by the local government.

Last year, the number averaged at 8.32, with its peak coming on Sept 17 when it rose to 9.68. Last year's index was said to indicate a "severe" level of congestion, according to the evaluation system.

The system has graded congestion in Beijing into three levels - severe (8 to 10), moderate (6 to 8) and mild (4 to 6). Numbers below 4 would indicate traffic is flowing freely.

"The effect will be more obvious if the index is transferred into the number of hours that are congested," said Li Xiaosong, a spokeswoman with the commission of transport.

Li said Beijing has had one hour and 45 minutes of either moderate or severe congestion each day since the New Year. Before Christmas, it had three hours and 55 minutes of severe or moderate congestion each day.

Figures from the traffic flow supervision system under the Beijing traffic management bureau also show that traffic flow on the capital's main roads has fallen by 9.8 percent, while the speed of vehicles has increased by 3.5 percent compared with before the new polices.

The number of congested roads where the average speed of vehicles is less than 20 km/h during the evening rush hour has fallen by 30 percent. Driving speed in the city's busiest areas, such as Qiansanmen Dajie and Xidan Dajie, has increased by 40 percent, the commission said.

Among all factors that have contributed to the easing of congestion, which include restrictions on using vehicles based on their license plates and prohibitions of non-local vehicles, the introduction of additional subway lines seems to have been the driving force behind the decision by many drivers to leave their cars at home.

"As subway lines such as the Daxing Line, the Yizhuang Line, the first section of Line 15, the Fangshan Line and the Changping Line have opened, rail transit has accommodated many people who would have used cars," Li said. "That has helped to ease the congestion."

Statistics from the Beijing transportation research center show that in the first week of operations of the Daxing Line, the number of vehicles on the Beijing-Kaifeng Highway fell from 91,000 to 60,000.

And vehicles heading for the city's core are now moving 19.4 percent faster than they were last year. The speeds have shot up even more on the commute out of the city, rising by 73 percent.

The commission said commuters are saving at least 30 minutes a day.