A 35-year-old Melbourne man has been arrested following a siege that left the Monash Freeway in lockdown amid concerns he may have been carrying a bomb.

A major police operation was launched near the St Kevin’s College private school in Toorak on Thursday morning with motorists evacuated and Melbourne’s Monash Freeway closed between Kooyong Road and Burke Road.

Crazy scenes this morning, avoid at all costs the #monashfreeway #melbourne #traffic #bombscare

— Lady Lovely Lumps (@Chemu18Cheryl) May 21, 2014

The bomb squad was called but police later declared the area safe and roads were later re-opened at about 7am. However, the incident, which began at about 4am, was expected to cause traffic delays during the morning peak period.

A 35-year-old man, believed to be from Caulfield South, has been arrested after an hour-long stand-off with police.

Earlier, the man had allegedly led police on a high-speed chase after a prime mover without a trailer was spotted at about 4am travelling on the freeway in the wrong direction.

The man is alleged to have told police after being stopped that he had a bomb on the truck.

Police ordered an exclusion zone around the scene near Toorak Rd at Glen Iris and the Bomb Response Unit was called.

Monash Closed at Warrigal Rd..Traffic not being helped by rude drivers not letting others in to get off

— Jack Heverin (@JackHeverin) May 21, 2014

Drivers were forced to leave their cars along the stretch of freeway after it was closed, causing massive traffic congestion.

Can’t see much but this is the truck that’s causing problems on the Monash. Bomb squad on scene @BreakfastNewspic.twitter.com/HJj4f5YmoS

— Ashlynne McGhee (@ashmcghee) May 21, 2014

But the incident caused immediate traffic chaos which was expected to last hours.

The inbound lanes of the Monash Freeway were blocked off at Warrigal Road while drivers were advised to use Dandenong Road, Queens Road and Kingsway to get into the city.