Director/PDMR Shareholding

Ashtead Group plc

5th September 2006

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               

                          Share Purchase by Directors                          

Ashtead Group plc announces that the following director has today purchased
ordinary shares in the Company as follows:

                   No of 10p                      Total number   %of Issued  
                Ordinary Shares     Purchase        of Shares      Share 
                   purchased          price           held        Capital           
                                                                             
C Cole              10,000           144.24p         42,082        0.007%    
                                                                             

Contacts:

Cob Stenham          Non-executive chairman           020 7299 5562          
George Burnett       Chief executive              )                          
Ian Robson           Finance director             )   01372 362300           
                                                                             
Brian Hudspith       The Maitland Consultancy         020 7379 5151