Director Shareholding

Ashtead Group PLC
18 July 2001


ASHTEAD GROUP PLC 
DEALINGS BY A DIRECTOR

Please be advised that Peter Donald Lewis, a director of the Company, has to-day
exercised options over a total of 1,500,256 ordinary shares in the Company
granted to him at various times under the Company's Approved Share Option
Scheme. The total amount paid for the shares was £733,046.46. Mr Lewis
immediately sold the shares at a price of 102.50p per share. Mr Lewis'
beneficial interest in the transactions was 100%.

The shares sold represent 0.461% of the Company's enlarged issued share capital
of 325,126,952 ordinary shares including the shares allotted to meet the
exercise of options.

Mr Lewis is the beneficial owner of 12,000,000 ordinary shares in the Company
representing 3.691% of the enlarged share capital. He also holds options over
716,700 ordinary shares in the Company granted to him at various times under the
Company's Unapproved Share Option Scheme.