Director/PDMR Shareholding

Ashtead Group plc

27 October 2008

                                       ASHTEAD GROUP PLC

                                  Share Purchase by Directors

Ashtead Group plc announces that on the 24 October 2008 the following director
purchased ordinary 10p shares in the Company as follows:

                   No of 10p         Purchase     Total number     % of Issued
                   Ordinary Shares   price        of Shares        Share Capital
                   purchased                      held

M Burrow           40,000            0.40p        100,000          0.020%


Contact:
Eric Watkins 020 7726 9740