Director/PDMR Shareholding

Ashtead Group plc

31 August 2006

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               
                             
                          Share Purchases by Directors
 
Ashtead Group plc announces that the following directors have subscribed for
and been allotted the following shares under the recently completed Rights
Issue:-
 
                    No of 10p                        Percentage of
              Ordinary Shares     Total Shares        Issued Share
Director            Purchased             Held             Capital
                                                                               
GB Burnett          1,045,869       15,143,591              2.713%  
SI Robson             161,250          591,250              0.106%
C Miller               49,875          182,875              0.033%
SD Dhaiwal             27,158           99,580              0.018%
PA Lovegrove          167,343          613,593              0.110%
AWP Stenham            87,499          320,832              0.057%
C Cole                  8,749           32,082              0.006%
G Iceton                8,749           32,082              0.006%
G Drabble               4,374           16,040              0.003%
                                                                               
The price of the shares purchased was 100p per share.

Notes:     91,416 of the shares shown as being allotted to Mr Burnett are in
           respect of 1,232,223 shares in which Mr Burnett has a non-beneficial interest. 
           Mr Burnett's total share holding of 15,143,591, shown above, includes 1,323,638
           shares in which Mr Burnett has a non-beneficial share holding.

           The shareholdings in respect of all the other directors listed above are
           beneficial holdings. 

           In addition, Mr Burnett, Mr Robson and Mr Dhaiwal hold conditionally 746,738,
           549,239 and 295,957 ordinary 10p shares, respectively, under the terms of the
           Company's Investment Incentive Plan and Performance Share Plan.

Contacts:

Cob Stenham          Non-executive chairman                020 7299 5562      
George Burnett       Chief executive                     )                    
Ian Robson           Finance director                    ) 01372 362300       
                                                                              
Brian Hudspith       The Maitland Consultancy              020 7379 5151