Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group plc

5 December 2008

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               

                            Ordinary Shares of 10p                             

Ashtead Group plc announces it has today been advised that on 3 December 2008
Standard Life Investments Ltd were directly interested in a total of 31,627,826
shares (or 6.21% of its share capital) and indirectly interested in a total of
29,933,659 shares (or 5.88% of its share capital).

Enquiries:

020 7726 9740

Eric Watkins