Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group plc

19 October 2010

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               

                             Holding(s) in Company                             

Ashtead Group plc announces it has been advised that on 18 October 2010 Aviva
plc and its subsidiaries were directly interested in a total of 24,370,357
shares (or 4.84% of its share capital), and indirectly interested in 5,069,277
shares (or 1.01% of its share capital).

Enquiries:

Eric Watkins

Company Secretary

020 7726 9700