A battery-powered minitram will take to the streets of Bradford from tomorrow in a pilot scheme that could revolutionise the city centre's transport system.

For six weeks the tram will provide a free link between Bradford's Interchange and Forster Square stations as well as the heart of the shopping area.

Passengers will be able to board at the Interchange, outbound at Tyrrel Street, Hustlergate and Bank Street. The service will run from 10am to 2.30pm from Monday to Saturday.

Transport chiefs at Bradford Council will be watching to decide whether to develop a permanent service ahead of the Broadway redevelopment in 2008.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, Bradford Council's executive member for the environment, said: "This is a really exciting project for Bradford city centre and one that is available for everyone to use and enjoy.

"Minitram will be a big help for both shoppers and shopkeepers, as well as providing a very handy link between the two train stations for commuters and travellers.

"On top of that, minitram is environmentally friendly, so its benefits are enormous.

"We really want to learn what people think about it so that a permanent service is a real benefit to the city centre."

Councillor Stanley King, deputy chairman of Metro the passenger transport authority, said: "We shall use this trial period to see what benefits this type of vehicle brings, with a view to making it permanent.

"We hope that in the future we will be able to have proper electronic guidance so that the vehicle has more of the character of a tram and that it will provide a permanent link between the city's two rail stations."

Minitram is an environmentally-friendly, electronically-guided form of ultra-light rail which runs on rubber tyres allowing it to travel on Bradford's historic streets or even share wide cycleways.

The model which is being used in Bradford will be able to carry 30 people and one wheelchair user and is the only of its kind.