It's finally here, the news British cyclists have been waiting for: real rules enshrined in legislation, imposing a proper commitment to further cycling as a mode of everyday transport.

The next Government will be legally required to formulate a cycling and walking strategy, and not just remember every now and again cyclists need space as well as motorised traffic.

The cycle amendment to the Infrastructure Bill – which is now an Act of Parliament – promises to be exciting, and actually raises the possibility of kick-starting the cycling revolution, or as they call it in the act “active travel”.

From the outset this was not a piece of cycling – sorry “active travel” legislation – but thanks to the Cyclists’ Touring Club, Sustrans, and other cycling bodies, and not to mention individuals who mounted pressure on local MPs, a cycle and walking investment strategy was included.

At last our cycle network may get some purposeful planning and proper money and not just sofa change thrown at it.

But before you don your helmet and cycle off into the sunset happy, the politicians will take us seriously now, bear in mind the exact amount spent on cycling is yet to be set, as it's dependent on who forms the Government.and .

It would seem most of the parties aren’t that serious about it yet, bar the Green Party, who have said they would invest more than £10 per head on cycling.

But will it work? Well, Numerous manifestos have been written before with the been aimed at transforming Britain’s streets into liveable spaces, and putting cycling and walking at the forefront of planners' minds, but have they been adhered to?

They must have been read by someone, as it feels perhaps London may have taken note a little more than Oxford.

So, Will this piece of legislative provision force the people at the top to consider the slower forms of transport?

Only time will tell. One good thing it will do is give ordinary people the power to demand they take notice and stop pretending that furthering the demands of the car lobbies will provide all the answers.

Cycling at last seems be gaining some political clout, the “big cycling debate” last month saw the three major parties get quizzed on their commitments to cycling.

Five years ago the thought of that happening would have been laughable.

Interestingly as well, some major companies have joined in the cycle campaigning, grouped together with the appealing slogan “choose cycling” – the likes of big hitters GlaxosmithKline and the National Grid are all showing support for Britain to join the levels of cycling seen in places such as Germany and the Netherlands. You could say they are acting in their own interests but you can’t deny having a healthier workforce is a bad thing.

Oxford already has high levels of cycling and honestly we should have had guidelines along the same lines as the Infrastructure Act a long time ago.

But as the rest of Britain prepares for a cycle boom, Oxford is ahead of the game with scores of cyclists already, so we should now be able to look forward to better infrastructure.

The “believe it when we see it” mentality should give way to real expectations.

Hopefully the act Infrastructure Act will get the wheels in motion and be and soon be seen as a landmark for British cycling.