A man is facing serious charges after driving dangerously on the wrong side of a Christchurch motorway while being chased by police.

A motorist told chrislynchmedia.com they saw the driver, who was wearing a balaclava, heading up the Northern Motorway just after 12 PM.

A police spokeswoman said they arrested a 38-year-old man following reports of someone tampering with number plates on vehicles on Belfast Road around 11:50 AM.

The man fled the scene in a vehicle, which was later seen driving dangerously on the wrong side of the Northern Arterial motorway.

Police attempted to spike the vehicle, but the driver evaded the spikes, narrowly missing an officer on Cranford Street, a witness said.

The man was eventually located at a Wiremu Street address by a police dog unit a short time later and taken into custody.

The police spokeswoman said the man has been charged with theft, driving while suspended for more than a third time, receiving stolen property, and possession of a cannabis plant.

He is due to appear in Christchurch District Court tomorrow.