Employee Benefit Trust

19 October 2005

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               

                                SHARE PURCHASE                                 

Ashtead Group plc has been advised by Mourant & Co Limited, the trustee of the
Ashtead Employee Benefit Trust ('the Trust'), that it has purchased 750,000 10p
ordinary shares a cost of £995,000 (an average price of £1.327 per share).

This brings the total number of shares held by the Trust to 4,721,490 or 1.2%
of the Company's issued share capital.

The Trust's shares may ultimately vest in executive directors and senior
managers under the Company's share option plans, Incentive Investment Plan and/
or the Performance Share Plan.

Contacts:

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