Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group plc

4th August 2006

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               

                            Ordinary Shares of 10p                             

Ashtead Group plc announces it has been advised by The Goldman Sachs Group
Inc., ("GS Inc") that as at 1st August 2006 it was interested in a total of
16,017,994 (or 3.9%) of its shares comprising:

 a. an interest in 16,546 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 16,001,448 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.