Director/PDMR Shareholding

Ashtead Group plc

30 October 2008

                                 ASHTEAD GROUP PLC
                           Share Purchase by Directors

Ashtead Group plc announces that on the 30 October 2008 the following directors
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

G Drabble     100,000             0.37p           361,357           0.07%
C Cole         25,000             0.37p            77,082           0.01%


Contact:
Eric Watkins 020 7726 9700