Re Directorate

Costain Group PLC
01 November 2001




                              COSTAIN GROUP PLC 
               APPOINTMENT OF A NEW NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR


The Board of Costain Group PLC ('Costain') is pleased to announce that David P 
Allvey FCA ATII has been appointed to the Board of Costain as a non-executive 
director, with effect from 1 November 2001.


Mr Allvey is a member of the UK Accounting Standards Board and a non-executive 
director of Intertek Testing Services Limited. He was Finance Director of 
Barclays Bank Plc 1999 - 2000, Chief Operations Officer of Zurich Financial 
Services AG and Allied Zurich Plc 1997 -1999, Group Finance Director of BAT 
industries Plc 1989 - 1998 and a non-executive director of McKechnie Group Plc 
1993-2000.


In respect of Mr Allvey there are no details to report under paragraph 6 F 2 (b)
to (g) of the UK Listing Authority Listing Rules.


The Board has also agreed to retain Mr Frederick William Ballard OBE as an 
independent non-executive director on the Board of Costain with effect from the 
1 November 2001 following receipt of a notification from a major shareholder 
Mohammed Abdulmohsin Al-Kharafl & Sons WLL that they wished to reduce the number
of their nominee directors on the Board of Costain to one and would therefore be
withdrawing their nomination of Mr Ballard.


On 1 November 2001 Mr Peter Burton, a non-executive director resigned from the 
Board of Costain.


Enquiries:

Costain Group PLC 
Graham Read               Tel: [phone]


College Hill 
Mark Garraway             Tel: [phone]
                                COSTAIN GROUP PLC