Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group PLC
11 January 2005


Ashtead Group plc

11th January 2005

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC

                             Ordinary Shares of 10p

Ashtead Group plc announces it has been advised by The Goldman Sachs Group Inc.,
('GS Inc') that as at 7th January 2005 it was interested in a total of
16,677,901 (or 5.12%) of its shares comprising:

a)  an interest in 7,649,700 shares arising from the interest held by
    Goldman Sachs & Co., a direct subsidiary of GS Inc, acting as custodian. 
    These shares are, or will be, registered in the name of Goldman Sachs 
    Securities (Nominees) Limited.

b)  an interest in 9,028,201 shares arising from a beneficial interest held
    by Goldman Sachs International, a direct subsidiary of GS Inc. These shares 
    are, or will be registered at CREST in account CREPTEMP.

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