Businesses should not relax their millennium work and take comfort from the fact that the 9 September date problem is turning out to be a non event. Government backed watchdog Action 2000 is concerned that businesses will regard today as a dress rehearsal for the millennium date change and be reassured by the fact that the little so far has gone wrong today. They will be disappointed. Today's date has been flagged as a potential problem because it relates to there being four nines in a row.
Today is a non story.
Problems associated with using the date as a programme marker would have been picked up by now. If there was a problem it would be hushed up. Shipping was one area where problems may have occurred with ageing systems. Three emergency tugs are in service to respond to any difficulties caused to shipping in UK waters - three weeks earlier than usual. As a precaution we have decided to bring the vessels on early to ensure added protection to our coastline.