Holding in Company

Ashtead Group PLC
30 April 2001

Ashtead Group plc
Ordinary Shares of 10p

The Company has been advised by Schroder Investment Management Limited (SIML)
that Schroder interests manage a total of 42,615,984 shares in the Company on a
discretionary basis for clients under investment management agreements as
follows:

1. Managed by SIML
      Registered or to be registered in the name of    11,934,576
      Schroder Nominees Ltd
      Registered or to be registered in the names of
      Chase Nominees Ltd                               11,415,673
      Chase Nominees Ltd a/c F02391                     5,643,344
      MSS Nominees Ltd a/c 766653                       1,683,139
      Nortrust Nominees Ltd                             5,104,000
      Pictet et Cie                                       965,904
      RBSTB Nominees Ltd                                  117,700
                                                                   36,864,336

2. Managed in unit trusts by Schroder Unit
   Trusts Ltd and registered in the name of
      Chase Nominees Ltd                                            5,751,648

   Total SIML interest                                             42,615,984

3. Managed by Schroder Hermes and registered or
   To be registered in the name of
    Chase Nominees Limited                                            408,276

Total                                                              43,024,260

The above interests in 42,615,984 and 43,024,260 shares in the Company represent
interests of 13.169% and 13.295% respectively in the issued share capital of
323,611,327 shares.