Traffic in New York City has dropped since the vehicle congestion pricing program took effect on January 5, transportation officials said.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) said 273,000 fewer cars entered the CBD from Monday to Friday, with traffic down 7.5 per cent compared with estimates on weekdays in January when the scheme was not in place.

The congestion charge, the first of its kind in the US, will charge car drivers up to $9 (£7) a day, with other vehicles also being charged different rates.

The congestion zone covers the area south of Central Park and includes famous attractions such as the Empire State Building, Times Square and the financial district surrounding Wall Street.

“The early data confirms what New Yorkers have been telling us for a week — traffic is down, streets feel safer and buses are moving faster,” MTA Administrator Janno Lieber said.

Motorists also save time, and local and rapid transit buses run faster, especially during the morning commute, the MTA posted on X.

The plan aims to alleviate New York’s notorious traffic problems and raise billions of dollars for the public transportation network.

The daily fee for most drivers to enter the congestion zone is $9 during peak hours and $2.25 at other times.

Small trucks and non-commute buses will pay $14.40 to enter Manhattan during rush hours, while larger trucks and tour buses will pay $21.60.

While the accusation was welcomed by many, it also met with a lot of pushback.

The most high-profile opposition has come from President-elect Donald Trump, a native New Yorker who has vowed to end the program when he returns to office this month.

Last year, New York City was ranked as the world’s most congested urban area for the second consecutive year, according to traffic data analytics company INRIX.