Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group plc

8 February 2010

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               

                            Ordinary Shares of 10p                             

Ashtead Group plc announces that on Friday 5 February 2010 it was advised that
on 3 February 2010 Aegon UK Group of Companies were directly interested in a
total of 32,573,739 shares (or 6.47% of its share capital) and indirectly
interested in a total of 4,360,129 shares (or 0.87 % of its share capital).

Enquiries:

020 7726 9740

Eric Watkins