TRAMS were running through Manchester city centre again today after engineers completed a multi-million pound track upgrade on time.

Metrolink chiefs re-opened the route between Victoria Station and St Peter’s Square after the major repair project that began in April came to an end.

The 16-year-old tracks have been ripped up and replaced as part of a £100m overhaul of the tram system.

Metrolink stops in Piccadilly Gardens and St Peter’s Square have also been revamped and new, state-of-the-art ticket machines that accept credit cards have been installed.

Transport bosses have hailed this morning’s 6am re-opening as a success.

They have also announced that passengers will be able to travel for free on two days this month – on November 14 and 19 – as a thank you for their patience during the revamp.

Coun Keith Whitmore, the chairman of the Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority, said: "I am delighted that the familiar ‘toot’ of the trams has returned to city centre streets after several months away. They have certainly been missed but I am sure everyone will agree that it has been worth the wait.

"I hope that the two days of free travel we are announcing today will go some way to repaying passengers for their patience during this work. We trust they will give both shoppers and commuters the chance to experience the improvements firsthand, as well as get to great festive events, such as the Christmas markets."

Manchester council’s city centre spokesman Pat Karney had urged the authority to give commuters the two-day fare holiday to say sorry for earlier disruption.

Upgrade work at Piccadilly Gardens, under a £22m project to revitalise the city centre tram network, includes widening the station and installing new canopies to provide better shelter for passengers.

The St Peter’s Square stop has also been widened during the revamp, which included painting the stops in Metrolink’s yellow and silver livery. Services began running again in the city at 6am today.

Metrolink staff were on hand to help passengers to use ten new ticket machines, which have been placed at St Peter’s Square and Piccadilly Gardens.

Some of the original machines are still in place while people get used to the new ones.

Engineers used 500 tons of steel during the upgrade, plus 1,400 tons of concrete and 299,000 sets of paving stones.

Philip Purdy, Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive’s Metrolink Director, said: "We said on April 2 that it would reopen on November 2. The work has been delivered on time."

He added: "I think the tram network and infrastructure enhances the city. We want the tram to be part of the city and not something separate."

Passengers on the Bury line had a glimpse of the future on Friday after drivers began trying out the new Metrolink tram for the first time.

Metrolink bosses have ordered 40 of the yellow M5000 trams, which will cater for passengers on the new lines being built to Oldham and Rochdale, Droylsden, Chorlton and MediaCity.

The city centre section of the track is the most heavily used part of the network, with trams passing over it up to 250 times a day. This is set to increase to 400 times a day when the new lines are added during a £600m expansion project.