Holding in Company

Ashtead Group PLC
22 November 2001

                  DEALINGS BY SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDERS


1)   NAME OF COMPANY

ASHTEAD GROUP PLC

2)   NAME OF SHAREHOLDER HAVING A MAJOR INTEREST

BARCLAYS PLC

3)   Please state whether notification indicates that it is in respect of 
     holding of the Shareholder named in 2 above or in respect of a 
     non-beneficial interest or in the case of an individual holder if it is a
     holding of that person's spouse or children under the age of 18

FUND MANAGER

4)   Name of the registered holder(s) and, if more than one holder, the 
     number of shares held by each of them.

SEE BELOW

5)   Number of shares/amount of stock acquired.

5,368,783

6)   (1.65%) of issued Class

7)   Number of shares/amount of stock disposed

-

8)   ( N/A %) of issued Class

-

9)   Class of security

10P ORDINARY SHARES

10)  Date of transaction

NOT ADVISED

11)  Date company informed

22.11.01

12)  Total holding following this notification

33,654,433
               
13)  Total percentage holding of issued class following this notification

10.35%

14)  Any additional information



15)  Name of contact and telephone number for queries

R.E. CLARK       01372 362300

16)  Name and signature of authorised company official responsible for 
     making this notification

     Date of Notification ..23.11.2001.................


Barclays Bank PLC - Group Registered Holders Analysis

ASHTEAD GROUP                   Sedol Number:       53673

As at 20/11/2001 Barclays PLC, through its subsidiary Barclays Bank PLC, had a 
notifiable interest in 33,654,433 ORD GBP0.10 units representing 10.35% of the 
issued share capital of 325131194 units.

Registered Holder                                                     Holding

***Unknown***                                   51798                 223,975
Bank of New York Nominees Limited               24002               1,509,177
Bank of New York Nominees Limited               367748                968,317
Bank of New York Nominees Limited               392067              1,164,300
Bank of New York Nominees Limited               683013                  5,087
***Unknown***                                   3121                  303,914
BT Globenet Nominees Limited                                           17,467
BT Globenet Nominees Limited                    10 N/A                 46,269
BT Globenet Nominees Limited                    562755                340,805
Chase Nominees Limited                          13642                  98,402
Chase Nominees Limited                          16331                 249,510
Chase Nominees Limited                          16341                 785,037
Chase Nominees Limited                          16344                 171,753
Chase Nominees Limited                          16345                 318,076
Chase Nominees Limited                          16376                  65,518
Chase Nominees Limited                          16400               2,419,846
Chase Nominees Limited                          16530                 721,729
Chase Nominees Limited                          16607                  19,638
Chase Nominees Limited                          16612                 101,701
Chase Nominees Limited                          16617                 106,710
Chase Nominees Limited                          16621                  56,379
Chase Nominees Limited                          16644                 190,081
Chase Nominees Limited                          16645                  27,783
Chase Nominees Limited                          16647                  17,395
Chase Nominees Limited                          16649                   9,927
Chase Nominees Limited                          16669                  19,303
Chase Nominees Limited                          16698                  68,104
Chase Nominees Limited                          16847                   5,944
Chase Nominees Limited                          16901                  52,664
Chase Nominees Limited                          18409                 163,210
Chase Nominees Limited                          19499                  39,368
Chase Nominees Limited                          19503                 200,275
Chase Nominees Limited                          19505                 148,558
Chase Nominees Limited                          19507                 377,953
Chase Nominees Limited                          19508                  42,286
Chase Nominees Limited                          19513                  17,421
Chase Nominees Limited                          19514                  67,338
Chase Nominees Limited                          19518                 385,738
Chase Nominees Limited                          19519               1,000,048
Chase Nominees Limited                          19520                 115,613
Chase Nominees Limited                          20717                  14,338
Chase Nominees Limited                          20947               7,091,483
Chase Nominees Limited                          22402                 189,305
Chase Nominees Limited                          BBAC                   37,561
***Unknown***                                   90986                 273,107
***Unknown***                                   20945                  90,825
***Unknown***                                                         259,699
***Unknown***                                   583996                217,534
***Unknown***                                   NONE                  784,955
MSS Nominees Limited                                                  384,150
MSS Nominees Limited                            5456A                 758,013
MSS Nominees Limited                            7897A                  54,848
MSTC Nominees Limited                           N/A                   153,485
***Unknown***                                                         143,852
Nortrust Nominees Limited                       BCPO1                  23,394
Nortrust Nominees Limited                       CVS21                 571,080
Nortrust Nominees Limited                       SHR14                 179,022
Nortrust Nominees Limited                       USFO6                 106,504
Nortrust Nominees Limited                       USF12               1,083,220
Chase Manhattan Bank London                                         5,251,882
Twenty Nine Gracechurch Street Nominees
Limited a/c 5782A                                                   1,011,830
State Street Nominees Limited                   5750A                 157,362
State Street Nominees Limited                   5H53                   41,588
State Street Nominees Limited                   HKDO                   58,201
***Unknown***                                                         509,132
***Unknown***                                                          19,364
***Unknown***                                                           9,147
***Unknown***                                                          16,994
***Unknown***                                                           5,562
Nutraco Nominees Limited                                            1,509,177

                                                      Total        33,654,433