Purchase of shares by EBT

DEALINGS BY THE TRUSTEES OF THE FIRSTGROUP EMPLOYEE BENEFIT TRUST ('EBT')

FirstGroup plc has today received notice that on 17th May 2005 the Trustees of
the EBT acquired 275,000 ordinary shares of 5 pence in FirstGroup plc at an
average price of 321.5022 pence per share. The EBT now holds 278,824 FirstGroup
plc shares.

FirstGroup plc shares held by the EBT are used to satisfy awards made to
participants in the Company's Performance Share Plan, Executive Share Option
Scheme and Executive Annual Bonus Plan.

The executive directors of FirstGroup plc are potential beneficiaries of the
EBT and are deemed to be interested in those shares for the purposes of Section
324 of the Companies Act 1985.

18th May 2005