Editing Ulster Transport Authority (section)

==The Benson Report==
In 1962, on the recommendation of Dr [[Richard Beeching]], the Government of [[Northern Ireland]] commissioned a senior [[PricewaterhouseCoopers#Coopers & Lybrand|Coopers & Lybrand]] accountant, [[Henry Benson, Baron Benson|Sir Henry Benson]], to report on the future of the UTA's railways. In 1963 Benson submitted his report, which recommended closing all UTA railways except the Belfast commuter lines to Bangor and [[Belfast–Larne line|Larne]] and the main line between [[Belfast–Dublin railway line|Belfast and Dublin]], and the reduction of the main line between {{rws|Portadown}} and {{rws|Dundalk}} to single track.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irrs.ie/Common%20Files/UTA.htm |title=Ulster Transport Authority |date=7 January 2004 |work=Irish Railways: 1946 – 1996 |publisher=Irish Railway Record Society |access-date=14 September 2010 |archive-date=21 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821081013/http://www.irrs.ie/Common%20Files/UTA.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Benson recommended the only reason for retaining the main line between Portadown and Dundalk was not for transport or economics but solely political. The [[Republic of Ireland]]'s government objected to Benson's proposal to single the track between Portadown and Dundalk so the Northern Ireland Government withdrew it.

Derry had two rail links with Belfast: the [[Belfast–Derry railway line|former NCC main line]] ''via'' {{rws|Coleraine}} and the former GNR one ''via'' Portadown. Benson's recommendation to close both lines provoked strong protest from Northern Ireland's second city and towns along both routes. The Northern Ireland Government responded by retaining the former NCC main line, which was slightly the shorter of the two but also served strongly [[Ulster Unionism|Unionist]] parts of [[County Antrim]], plus the [[Coleraine–Portrush line|short branch]] between Coleraine and the seaside resort of {{rws|Portrush}}.

In 1965 the Northern Ireland government implemented Benson's recommendation to close the former GNR route between Portadown and Derry, informally known as the "[[Derry Road railway line|Derry Road]]", at the cost of 400 jobs. This ended all railway services to stations including {{rws|Dungannon}}, {{rws|Omagh}}, {{rws|Strabane|GNI}}, {{sfn|Hajducki|1974|page=39}} and left the entire southwest of the province, including the whole of [[County Tyrone]], with no rail services.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.derryjournal.com/news/your-community/nostalgia/closure-of-derry-road-a-great-loss-to-ireland-1-3540020|title = Closure of the 'Derry Road' a great loss to Ireland – Derry Journal|access-date = 20 August 2013|archive-date = 12 December 2013|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131212190328/http://www.derryjournal.com/news/your-community/nostalgia/closure-of-derry-road-a-great-loss-to-ireland-1-3540020|url-status = dead}}</ref> The government also closed the [[Belfast Central Railway]], (that Benson had recommended retaining).<ref name=IRRS>{{cite web |url=http://www.irrs.ie/Common%20Files/UTA.htm |title=Ulster Transport Authority |date=7 January 2004 |work=Irish Railways: 1946 – 1996 |publisher=[[Irish Railway Record Society]] |access-date=25 November 2010 |archive-date=21 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821081013/http://www.irrs.ie/Common%20Files/UTA.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The branch between {{rws|Goraghwood}} and {{rws|Newry Edward Street}} was also closed, leaving [[Newry]] with no stations for 19 years until the reopening of the inconveniently sited [[Newry railway station|Bessbrook]] station on the main line in 1984, which was some distance up a hill outside the town.{{sfn|Hajducki|1974|page=39}}

These closures left only the [[York Road railway station|Belfast York Road]] – [[Londonderry railway station|Londonderry Waterside]], {{rws|Bleach Green}} – {{rws|Larne Harbour}} and Coleraine – Portrush lines in service.