Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group plc

7 January 2009

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               

                            Ordinary Shares of 10p                             

Ashtead Group plc announces it has today been advised that on 6 January 2009
Standard Life Investments Ltd were directly interested in a total of 33,995,592
shares (or 6.75% of its share capital) and indirectly interested in a total of
31,537,650 shares (or 6.26% of its share capital).

Enquiries:

020 7726 9740

Eric Watkins