Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group plc

22nd December 2005

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               

                            Ordinary Shares of 10p                             

Ashtead Group plc announces it has today been advised by The Goldman Sachs
Group Inc., ('GS Inc') that as at 19th December 2005 it was interested in a
total of 26,252,607 (or 6.53%) of its shares comprising:

 a. an interest in 4,900,346 shares arising from the interest held by Goldman
    Sachs & Co., a wholly-owned 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 21,352,261 shares arising from a beneficial interest held by
    Goldman Sachs International, a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of GS Inc.
    These shares are, or will be registered at CREST in account CREPTEMP.