The partnership follows the publication of a British Parliamentary report in March, alleging Team Sky had crossed an "ethical line" with their use of drugs within the anti-doping rules.

British Cycling and UKAD intend to work together to create innovative strategies to tackle cheats, and ensure public faith in cycling.

Announced during UKAD’s annual Clean Sport Week, the partnership is the first of its kind and is the initiative of the new chairs of British Cycling and UKAD, Frank Slevin and Trevor Pearce respectively.

A working group has been formed with senior leads from both organisations and the first meeting has taken place to agree key areas of focus, which over the coming year will include establishing a Medical Governance Committee to back the Great Britain Cycling Team's medical support.

Among the other areas of focus are working with UKAD to establish roles and responsibilities for an ethical framework, requiring event participants to access anti-doping education before entry, launching a campaign to encourage reporting of anti-doping offences, and increasing investment in testing, including in-competition at flagship events.

Holding regular data-sharing and analysis "summits" with UKAD is also being targeted along with establishing further shared influence opportunities with the International Cycling Union, World Anti-Doping Agency and UK Government, adopting and developing disruption techniques, appointing an anti-doping lead on the Rider Committee and working with Board and executive leads to ensure rider interests are represented.

Work in several areas has begun, including the announcement of a new integrity and compliance director role at British Cycling and substantial changes to the provision of medical services for the Great Britain Cycling Team.

"Our athletes, members, funders and the public deserve to have confidence in the cleanliness of the sport that they love, which is why we are proud to have initiated this partnership with UKAD," Slevin said.

"It is vital that we begin to anticipate what will be needed to take forward the fight against doping in sport in the future, and we are delighted to be standing side by side with UKAD as we begin to tackle these issues and challenges together."

Pearce added: "UKAD is delighted to link up with British Cycling in establishing this new strategic approach.

"We are keen to work in collaboration with national governing bodies and this demonstrates the commitment we share to tackle doping in sport.

"With the development of our new assurance framework as a key part of our new four-year strategy, which is effectively a 'MOT', this is an important step from British Cycling towards meeting the criteria."

The announcement has been met with some criticism.

Richard Ings, the former chief executive of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority, tweeted that it is an "awful move" by UKAD.

He wrote: "UKAD should be the regulator, the investigator. 

"It needs separation to be able to investigate sports like cycling. Your [sic] can't partner those you must oversight."

Ings added: "The very people at British Cycling sitting at the partnership table are support persons under the Code. 

"Regulators don't cosy up to those they must regulate and investigate."

British Members of Parliament alleged in March that Team Sky used the anti-inflammatory drug triamcinolone to prepare Sir Bradley Wiggins and a smaller group of riders for the Tour de France in 2012, a race won by Sir Bradley.

Team Sky and Sir Bradley have strongly denied the allegations but the report has increased pressure on Team Sky principal Sir David Brailsford.

The British Parliamentary report claimed Brailsford should take responsibility for "the damaging scepticism about the legitimacy of his team's performance and accomplishments", but Chris Froome told the BBC the team had his backing.

Froome is set to become the first British winner of the Giro d'Italia and just the third man to hold all three of cycling's Grand Tours, but he remains a controversial figure with some given how is seeking to clear his name after failing a drugs test for having double the permitted levels of asthma drug salbutamol in a sample given during the Vuelta a España last year.

British Cycling was also criticised by UKAD earlier this year for not reporting allegations of potential doping sooner and potentially impeding its investigation into a "mystery package" delivered to Sir Bradley during the 2011 Critérium du Dauphiné.