Result of EGM

Ashtead Group PLC
01 August 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

                    RESULTS OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

The Board of Ashtead announces that, at the Extraordinary General Meeting held
earlier today, the Resolutions which were set out in the notice of Extraordinary
General Meeting included in the circular to Shareholders dated 7 July 2005 were
duly passed.

The New Ordinary Shares to be issued under the Placing and the Open Offer will
be credited as fully paid and will rank pari passu with the Existing Ordinary
Shares in all respects.

The Placing and the Open Offer remain conditional upon Admission and the
concurrent Debt Issue becoming unconditional. It is expected that Admission will
take place, and that dealings in the New Ordinary Shares will commence, on
3 August 2005 (immediately following the completion of the Debt Issue).

Terms used in this Announcement shall have the same meanings as set out in the
Prospectus dated 7 July 2005.

ENQUIRIES:

Ashtead Group plc
George Burnett, Chief Executive Officer
Ian Robson, Chief Finance Officer                [phone]

The Maitland Consultancy
(Public relations adviser)
Emma Burdett 
Brian Hudspith                                   [phone]

None of the New Ordinary Shares has been, nor will be, registered in the United
States under the United States Securities Act 1933, as amended (the 'Securities
Act'), or under the securities laws of Australia, Canada, France, Japan or New
Zealand and they may not, subject to certain exceptions, be offered, sold,
delivered or transferred, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States,
Australia, Canada, France, Japan or New Zealand or any other jurisdiction where
the extension or availability of the Placing and the Open Offer would breach any
applicable law (together, the 'Excluded Territories') or to, or for the account
or benefit of, any national, citizen or resident of any of the Excluded
Territories. Securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent
registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. There
is no public offer of the New Ordinary Shares in the United States.

This Announcement shall not constitute or form any part of any offer or
invitation to subscribe for, underwrite or otherwise acquire, or any
solicitation of any offer to purchase or subscribe for, securities including in
the United States.



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