Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group plc

22 January 2010

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               

                            Ordinary Shares of 10p                             

Ashtead Group plc announces it has been advised that on 20 January 2010 Aegon
UK Group of Companies were directly interested in a total of 24,767,402 shares
(or 4.92 % of its share capital) and indirectly interested in a total of
2,948,560 shares (or 0.59 % of its share capital).

Enquiries:

020 7726 9740

Eric Watkins