 The post-privatisation owner Railtrack's asking price of £300,000 in 1996 required seeking grants from the European Commission.With no traffic or maintenance, the line started to become overgrown.In the meantime, Sustrans proposed the railway should be converted into a cycle route, similar to the Lôn Eifion cycle route which follows the path of the former Carnarvonshire Railway from Caernarfon to Afon Wen.