Families hit by £100 penalty notices for parking at a Norwich hospital are calling for companies to be banned from buying their personal data.

Eastern Daily Press: Tim and Kath Powell received parking fines at Bowthorpe Community Hospital even though they had correct tickets. Picture : ANTONY KELLYTim and Kath Powell received parking fines at Bowthorpe Community Hospital even though they had correct tickets. Picture : ANTONY KELLY (Image: archant 2017)

It comes as Conservative MP Sir Greg Knight has tabled a private member's bill which would lead to new statutory regulations covering parking companies.

With a sharp rise in the number of drivers issued penalty notices on private land, users at Norwich Community Hospital have often been slapped with £100 tickets, leading to a number of complaints and appeals.

The tickets have been issued by Civil Enforcement Ltd (CEL), who have been responsible for enforcement at the hospital since October 2016.

One of the latest penalties was issued to 58-year-old Cheryl Sadler, who has been visiting her mother in respite care 'four or five times a week'.

'They shouldn't be making money out of people who are ill,' she said. 'They are like vultures.'

Tim Powell and his wife Kath, both 69, visit the hospital regularly to see her son, who had a stroke last Christmas.

They each had tickets in the post within days of each other on July 19 and 21, which have since been cancelled.

'I think it is just a money-making scheme,' said Mr Powell.

'People that aren't able to stand up for themselves will just pay it because they haven't got any proof.'

In the last three years CEL has requested information almost half a million times from the DVLA,including 215,536 requests in 2016-17.

On its website CEL say they offer solutions to 'car park abuse'. They have not responded to requests for comment.

'I shouldn't think they should be allowed to buy anybody's data,' added Ms Sadler, who runs a marketing company. 'They shouldn't be able to track you like that unless you have committed a crime.'

Companies that breach the new rules, which have been backed by the British Parking Association, could be banned from accessing the DVLA database

Sir Greg told The Times: 'Self-regulation hasn't worked and we need to put this on a statutory footing to stop motorists being ripped off.

'We need to have a fairer, more transparent and consistent enforcement system.'

Records of 1.74m vehicles were gained from the DVLA between April and June - a rise of 64pc on the same period in 2016.