Director Shareholding

Ashtead Group PLC
30 August 2002


Ordinary Shares of 10p

Ashtead Group plc announces that its Chief Executive, George Burnett, has to-day
exercised his holding of options under the Company's approved share option
scheme over 521,362 ordinary shares of 10p each in the Company granted on 16
September 1992 at an exercise price of 14.87p per shares.

The, exercise of these options increases Mr Burnett's beneficial holding of
shares in the Company to 12,815,761 representing 3.935% of the Company's
enlarged issued share capital of 325,663,154 (325,131,792 + 531,362) shares.

Mr Burnett also has the following interests in the Company's shares or in 
options over shares in the Company:

a)  a non-beneficial interest of 1,056,192 shares representing 0.324% of the
    Company's issued share capital;

b)  an award of 1,422,006 shares, 0.437% of the issued share capital, under the
    Company's Investment Incentive Plan which are beneficially held subject to 
    performance conditions being satisfied before totally vesting; and

c)  options over a further 2,085,594 shares under the Company's discretionary 
    share option schemes at exercise prices ranging from 61.44p to 184.20p per 
    share exercisable at various dates before February 2011.




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