Holding(s) in Company

Ashtead Group plc

19th December 2006

                               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 close of business on 13th December 2006 it
was interested in a total of 27,537,561 (or 4.9%) of its share capital.

The interest in these shares arose 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.