ASHTEAD GROUP PLC                               

                           EXERCISE OF SHARE OPTIONS                           

Ashtead Group PLC ("Ashtead") announces that, prior to their expiry in August
2010, Ian Robson has today exercised all of the outstanding approved and
unapproved share options originally granted to him in 2000. Ian has also today
sold sufficient shares to generate net proceeds equal to the exercise price and
the income tax and national insurance arising thereon and has retained the
remaining 34,736 shares.

As a result of these transactions Ian Robson now holds 1,514,828 Ashtead
ordinary shares representing 0.3% of the Company's total issued voting capital.

Details of the number of shares acquired and sold are given below:
 
Approved options:   Exercised options over 31,979 shares at the option price of
                    93.79p per share and sold 31,979 shares at 126.8p per share.

Unapproved options: Exercised options over 211,932 shares at the option price of
                    94.55p per share and sold 177,196 shares at 126.8p per share.

The Company also announces that the shares sold by Mr Robson were purchased by
the Company's ESOT.


Eric Watkins

Company Secretary

0207 726 9740