also staging-post
( staging posts)
1.
A staging post on a long journey is a place where people who are making that journey usually stop, for example to rest or to get new supplies. ( BRIT )
The island is a staging-post for many visiting yachts on their way south.
N-COUNT
2.
If you describe an action or achievement as a staging post , you mean that it helps you reach a particular goal that you have. ( BRIT )
Privatisation is a necessary staging post to an open market.
N-COUNT