A motorcyclist has died in the early hours of this morning after fleeing police and colliding with a car in the central city.

Police confirmed in a statement the motorcyclist received treatment at the scene but died of his injuries.

The crash occurred just before midnight at the intersection of Barbadoes St and Edgeware Rd. It followed the motorcyclist being asked to stop by officers minutes earlier.

However, the motorcyclist ignored requests and fled.

Police at the scene of the fatal crash which killed one person. Photo / George Heard

Superintendent Lane Todd said police did not pursue and the motorbike ended up colliding with a silver sedan, which hit a traffic pole.

The female driver of the silver car has suffered “minor to moderate injuries”, Todd said.

Photos by a Herald photographer at the scene showed motorbike parts strewn across Barbadoes St and the crumpled silver car which had hit traffic lights at the intersection.

“Our thoughts are with the deceased man’s family,” Todd said, before stating the incident had been referred to the IPCA.

The female driver of the silver car has suffered “minor to moderate injuries”. Photo / George Heard

The Serious Crash Unit and Critical Incident Investigations are in the early stages of their work to confirm the circumstances of what occurred.

“Anyone who saw what happened who has not yet spoken to Police is asked to please come forward.”

The Canterbury region has been left devastated by a number of fatal crashes in recent weeks, including one in North Christchurch which left a teen driver dead and two passengers on life support.

Another crash in Hororata killed two children of a family headed for Mt Hutt, and days later a legal executive was travelling through West Melton when she was killed on the road by a teen driver.

Canterbury’s rural area police commander, Pete Cooper, said the region’s road toll this year was “horrendous.

“Crashes like this one are all preventable. It’s an annual message, but drivers need to take the act of driving seriously.