Transfer of Treasury Shares

Ashtead Group plc

14 September 2009

                             Ashtead Group plc

                        Transfer of Treasury Shares

Ashtead Group plc ("the Company") announces that on 11 September 2009, the 
following ordinary shares were transferred from treasury stock for the purpose
of employee exercises under the Company's Approved Share Option Scheme:

7,568 ordinary shares at 38.282 pence per share

Following the above transfer of treasury stock, the Company holds 49,987,012
ordinary shares as treasury shares. The total number of ordinary shares in
issue (excluding shares held as treasury shares) is 503,338,542.

This number (503,338,542) represents the total voting rights in the Company and
may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which
they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a
change to their interest in, Ashtead Group plc under the FSA's Disclosure and
Transparency Rules.

Enquiries:

Ashtead Group plc                                              020 7726 9740
Eric Watkins