Placing an Open Offer

Ashtead Group PLC
07 July 2005

NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IN OR INTO THE
         UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA, FRANCE, JAPAN OR NEW ZEALAND

                               ASHTEAD GROUP PLC

                 PLACING AND OPEN OFFER TO RAISE c.£70 MILLION

Ashtead Group plc is today posting a Prospectus, setting out details of the
Placing and the Open Offer, and a Circular to shareholders convening an
Extraordinary General Meeting on 1 August 2005.

Two copies each of the Prospectus and Circular are being submitted to the
Financial Services Authority and will be available shortly for inspection at the
Financial Services Authority's Document Viewing Facility which is situated at:
Financial Services Authority, 25 The North Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London, E14
5HS (Tel: [phone]).

The Prospectus has also been made available to the public pursuant to section
3.2 of the Prospectus Rules and copies of the Prospectus will be available from
or can be inspected at the registered office of the Ashtead Group Plc (King's
Court, 41-51 Kingston Road, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 7AP) and the offices of
Slaughter and May (One Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YY).

Definitions used in the Prospectus sent to Shareholders dated 7 July 2005 shall
have the same meanings when used in this announcement, unless the context
requires otherwise.



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