Holding in Company

Ashtead Group PLC
19 April 2001


                  DEALINGS BY SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDERS


1)   NAME OF COMPANY

     ASHTEAD GROUP PLC

2)   NAME OF SHAREHOLDER HAVING A MAJOR INTEREST

     BARCLAYS PLC

3)   Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of 
     holding of the Shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a 
     non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a
     holding of that person's spouse or children under the age of 18

     FUND MANAGER

4)   Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the 
     number of shares held by each of them.

     SEE BELOW

5)   Number of shares/amount of stock acquired.

     NOT ADVISED

6)   ( N/A %) of issued Class

7)   Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

       -

8)   ( N/A %) of issued Class

9)   Class of security

      10P ORDINARY SHARES

10)  Date of transaction

      NOT ADVISED

11)  Date company informed

      19.04.01

12)  Total holding following this notification

      9,838,224
               
              
13)  Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

      3.04%

14)  Any additional information

       -

15)  Name of contact and telephone number for queries

     RE CLARK
     01372 362300

16)  Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for 
     making this notification

     Date of Notification ...19.04.2001.....


Barclays Bank PLC - Registered Holders Analysis

ASHTEAD GROUP                              Sedol Number     53673

As at 12.04.2001 Barclays PLC, through its subsidiary Barclays Bank PLC, had a
notifiable interest in 9,838,224 ORD GBP0.10 units representing 3.04% of the
issued share capital of 323547035 units.

Registered Holder                                                    Holding

Chase Nominees Limited                               16331            249,510
Chase Nominees Limited                               16341            592,845
Chase Nominees Limited                               16344            137,098
Chase Nominees Limited                               16345            229,041
Chase Nominees Limited                               16376             49,310
Chase Nominees Limited                               16400          3,117,138
Chase Nominees Limited                               16530            721,729
Chase Nominees Limited                               18409             71,077
Chase Nominees Limited                               20947          3,566,330
Phildrew Nominees Limited                                              47,000
Twenty Nine Gracechurch Street Nominees Limited
a/c 5781C                                                             756,234
Chase Manhattan Bank                                                   32,196
Chase Nominees Ltd A/C Lend 16201                                      27,503
Chase Nominees Ltd A/C BGIOMNI 19688                                  125,118
*** Unknown ***                                                       116,095

                                                          TOTAL     9,838,224