Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group plc

6 May 2009

                               Ashtead Group plc                               

                            Ordinary Shares of 10p                             

Ashtead Group plc announces that it has been advised that on 5 May 2009 Aviva
plc and its subsidiaries were directly interested in a total of 24,699,177
shares (or 4.91% of its share capital), and indirectly interested in 9,119,415
shares (of 1.81% of its share capital).

Enquiries:

Ashtead Group plc 020 7726 9740

Eric Watkins